CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Property

Margaret Moran: To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many empty properties are owned by the Church of England; and for how long on average they have been empty.

Stuart Bell: The Commissioners are one among thousands of separate legal entities making up the Church of England. Many of these bodies own property and it is not possible to give a single figure covering the whole Church. The Commissioners' property investment portfolio is very well let with few vacancies.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Domestic Violence

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been convicted of assault in which the victim was  (a) a female partner,  (b) a male partner and  (c) one of their children in each of the last three years.

David Hanson: Northern Ireland court proceedings and sentencing data do not currently record the relationship between those who have been convicted of assault and their victims. I anticipate that this information will become available with the development of the Causeway information system.

Energy Sources

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in securing cost-effective, environmentally-friendly sources of power in Northern Ireland since the publication of proposals on 25 July 2005.

Maria Eagle: The July 2005 proposals relate primarily to the North South cooperation on a longer-term vision for renewable energy within the All-Island electricity market—known as the '2020 Vision'.
	In that specific context, extensive cooperation with the Republic of Ireland is continuing in the development of actions for implementation. A key element of this work is the all-island grid study involving research into the potential for renewable energy—and wind energy in particular—to be accommodated in the electricity grid systems in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. The study, which is due to be completed in mid-2007 will provide a firm evidence base on which to develop strategic investment decisions in relation to securing renewable sources of power.
	The detailed responses to the '2020 Vision' paper itself are being analysed by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (DCMNR) and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) with a view to presenting the outcome to an industry forum in the new year.
	In addition to the '2020 Vision' work, the hon. Member will be aware that the Secretary of State's Environment and Renewable Energy Fund was launched in February 2006 with the aim of making Northern Ireland an exemplar region in renewables development. The £59 million ring-fenced package is already being implemented through a number of programmes to enhance renewables actions and secure cleaner sources of power for Northern Ireland across both the public and private sectors.

Further Education

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the community background is of the new chairmen of the new further education colleges; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The chairs designate of the six new Further Education Colleges were formally appointed in September 2006. Two have a Protestant community background, and four have a Roman Catholic community background The chairs designate will be appointed as chairs of the six new colleges on the date on which the mergers take place and will serve for a four year period. The selection process was monitored by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland to ensure that it was run in an open, unbiased and transparent manner.

Further Education

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applicants there were for the recent appointments to the proposed new further education colleges in Northern Ireland, broken down by community background; and how many of these were interviewed, broken down in the same way.

Maria Eagle: 32 people applied to become chairs of the six new further education colleges and 23 were interviewed. The community background of the applicants at each stage of the process is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Protestant  Roman Catholic  Neither  Total 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number 
			 All applicants 16 50 13 41 3 9 32 
			 Invited for interview 12 52 10 44 1 4 23 
		
	
	The selection process was monitored by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) for Northern Ireland under their good practice kite mark scheme. The selection panel, which was balanced in terms of gender and community background, consisted of an OCPA-nominated independent assessor and two departmental officials. In line with recommended practice, the selection panel did not, at any stage, see the monitoring information relating to the community background of any applicant, which is requested purely for statistical purposes.

Hedges

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received in response to the Minister of State's call of 10 August 2005 for members of the public in Northern Ireland to report nuisance hedges to the planning service.

David Cairns: The Planning Service carried out a consultation exercise between August and October 2005 seeking information on the scale and geographical spread of problems with nuisance high hedges in Northern Ireland.
	The consultation generated a high level of public interest with a total of 641 responses received—610 of those from members of the public. A summary of the main results of the consultation exercise is available on the Planning Service website (www.planningni.gov.uk).

Jobcentres

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobcentre staff in Northern Ireland have been the victims of assault in each of the last three years.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) has 10 jobcentres which form part of a network of 35 regional offices. The remaining 25 offices are Jobs and Benefits Offices (JBO) which are administered jointly with the Social Security Agency, Department for Social Development (DSD).There have been no reported incidents of physical assault on staff in any of the 10 jobcentres in the last three years. There have been five reported incidents of physical assault in Jobs and Benefits Offices in each of the last three years involving one DEL member of staff, one Social Security Agency member of staff and three contract staff as follows:
	
		
			   Number of incidents 
			 October 2003 to October 2004 3 
			 October 2004 to October 2005 1 
			 October 2005 to October 2006 1

Motoring Offences

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been convicted for  (a) motoring offences that resulted in a fatality and  (b) careless driving in each year since 2003.

David Hanson: Table 1 provides the number of convictions for those motoring offences causing death, while table 2 includes convictions for careless driving and other similar offences.
	Data cover the calendar years 2003 and 2004, the latter being the most up-to-date available at present.
	It should be noted that data are collated on the principal offence rule, thus only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of convictions for motoring offences causing death by offence 2003 and 2004( 1) 
			   Number of convictions 
			  Offence  2003  2004 
			 Causing death by dangerous driving 21 9 
			 Causing death by driving carelessly when unfit 0 1 
			 Causing death by driving carelessly with excess alcohol 1 0 
			 Causing death by inconsiderate driving with excess alcohol 2 1 
			 Total 24 11 
			 (1) Data for 2004 are provisional. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of convictions for careless driving and other similar offences by offence 2003 and 2004( 1,2,3) 
			   Number of convictions 
			  Offence  2003  2004 
			 Careless driving 2 0 
			 Driving without due care and attention 1,690 1,695 
			 Grievous bodily injury by driving carelessly when unfit 1 2 
			 Grievous bodily injury by driving carelessly with excess alcohol 2 1 
			 Driving without reasonable consideration for others 25 40 
			 Total 1,720 1,738 
			 (1) Data for 2004 are provisional.  (2) Figures do not included careless driving offences which resulted in a fatality.  (3) Figures do not included reckless driving, furious driving or dangerous driving.

Older Students

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people over the age of 60 years enrolled in full-time or part-time  (a) vocational and  (b) non-vocational courses in each college of further and higher education in Northern Ireland in academic year (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06.

Maria Eagle: The following table details the number of people over the age of 60 years enrolled in full-time or part-time  (a) vocational and  (b) non-vocational courses in each college of further and higher education in Northern Ireland in academic year 2004-05. Data pertaining to 2005-06 will be available in December 2006.
	
		
			  College  Vocational students  Non-vocational students  Total 
			 Armagh College 213 88 301 
			 Belfast Institute 2,883 1,133 4,016 
			 Castlereagh College 924 266 1,190 
			 Causeway Institute 517 289 806 
			 East Antrim Institute 1,020 167 1,187 
			 East Down Institute 599 224 823 
			 East Tyrone Institute 1,299 140 1,439 
			 Fermanagh College 374 185 559 
			 Limavady College 292 61 353 
			 Lisburn Institute 232 188 420 
			 Newry and Kilkeel Institute 392 184 576 
			 North Down and Ards Institute 394 961 1,355 
			 North East Institute 302 198 500 
			 North West Institute 532 418 950 
			 Omagh College 169 122 291 
			 Upper Bann Institute 1,618 329 1,947 
			 Total 11,760 4,953 16,713 
			  Note:  Age is at 1 July 2004.   Source:  Further Education Statistical Record

Parliamentary Boundaries

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the timetable is for the ratification of parliamentary boundary changes in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland is required to submit its final report to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by June 2007. The Secretary of State must then lay the Commission's final recommendations (with or without modifications) before Parliament for approval.

Programme for Government Committee

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance he plans to provide to the Programme for Government Committee in its work to agree priorities for the new Executive; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: In the wake of the St. Andrews Agreement, I remain convinced that the circumstances are now right to make vital progress and ultimately to see a permanent political settlement in Northern Ireland. The work of the Programme for Government Committee is key to this process and I have asked my officials in the Northern Ireland Departments to be at the disposal of the Committee and to offer whatever information is required in carrying out the task of agreeing priorities for the new Executive.
	I look forward to the outcome of their discussions.

Schools

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many incidents of bullying have been reported in schools in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years  (a) in total and  (b) by education and library board;
	(2)  which 10 schools in Northern Ireland have had the highest number of incidents of bullying in each of the last three years.

Maria Eagle: The Department of Education does not collect the information requested.
	Information about the scale and nature of bullying in Northern Ireland schools is contained in a research report published in October 2002. A research briefing summary is available on the Department's website at www.deni.gov.uk/rb8_2002.pdf. The Department has commissioned updated research into bullying, in all its forms, and the results are expected to be ready for publication by mid 2007.

Seat Belts

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many motorists in Northern Ireland have been prosecuted for not wearing seat belts in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: Data for prosecutions for not wearing a seatbelt include both drivers and passengers. Table 1 provides the number of prosecutions for the offences of failing to wear a seatbelt and carrying a child under 14 years without a seatbelt.
	Data covers the calendar years 2000 to 2004, the latter being the most up-to-date available at present. It should be noted that data are collated on the principal offence rule, thus only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
	
		
			  Table 1: Prosecutions for failing to wear a seatbelt 2000-04( 1) 
			   Failure to wear seatbelt( 2)  Carrying child under 14 years without a seatbelt( 3)  Total 
			 2000 38 5 43 
			 2001 54 4 58 
			 2002 47 3 50 
			 2003 49 8 57 
			 2004 68 10 78 
			 (1 )Data for 2004 are provisional.  (2 )Prosecution data cannot be disaggregated for drivers and passengers and the figures for 'failing to wear seatbelt' include both these categories.  (3 )Includes 'carrying child under 14 years without seatbelt (front)' and 'carrying child under 14 years without seatbelt (rear)'.

Sex Offenders

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been  (a) prosecuted for and  (b) convicted of serious sexual assaults in each of the last three years.

David Hanson: Table 1 provides the number prosecuted and subsequently convicted for rape, attempted rape and indecent assault.
	Data covers the calendar years 2002 to 2004, the latter being the most up-to-date available at present.
	It should be noted that data are collated on the principal offence rule, thus only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
	
		
			  Table 1: Prosecutions and convictions for rape, attempted rape and indecent assault 2002-2004( 1) 
			   2002  2003  2004 
			   Prosecutions  Convictions  Prosecutions  Convictions  Prosecutions  Convictions 
			 Rape 25 8 26 8 29 15 
			 Attempted rape(2) 5 2 5 2 8 3 
			 Indecent assault(3) 90 55 109 66 123 81 
			 (1 )Data for 2004 are provisional.  (2 )Includes attempted rape and assault with intent to rape.  (3 )Includes indecent assault on female, indecent assault on male, indecent assault on female child and indecent assault on male child.

Sports Strategy

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on the new sports strategy for Northern Ireland.

Maria Eagle: The Department of Culture Arts and Leisure (DCAL) has prepared a new draft Sports Strategy in partnership with the Sports Council for Northern Ireland (SCNI). This draft is currently being amended to reflect the outcome of a stakeholder testing exercise undertaken in April 2006. I hope to publish the amended draft for consultation later this year.

Violent Crime

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many violent crimes in which the victim's occupation or the victim type was given as taxi driver have been carried out in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years, broken down by  (a) district command unit and  (b) council area.

Paul Goggins: PSNI have advised the following breakdown of violent crime where the victim was a taxi driver.
	As district command unit and council area are coterminous the statistics are outlined only by district command unit and included a Belfast total.
	
		
			  Violent crime recorded by the police( 1)  where the victim was a taxi driver( 2) 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Antrim 6 3 8 
			 Ards 2 2 5 
			 Armagh 0 2 0 
			 Ballymena 3 7 3 
			 Ballymoney 0 0 0 
			 Banbridge 2 1 2 
			 Carrickfergus 1 0 2 
			 Castlereagh 0 2 1 
			 Coleraine 5 10 13 
			 Cookstown 1 1 1 
			 Craigavon 8 14 14 
			 Down 0 1 1 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 5 2 9 
			 Fermanagh 2 5 1 
			 Foyle 6 9 15 
			 Larne 3 1 1 
			 Limavady 2 1 1 
			 Lisburn 11 8 8 
			 Magherafelt 3 0 2 
			 Moyle 0 0 0 
			 Newry and Mourne 3 7 11 
			 Newtownabbey 0 0 4 
			 North Down 1 1 5 
			 Omagh 4 4 1 
			 Strabane 2 3 8 
			 East Belfast 4 2 7 
			 North Belfast 10 9 11 
			 South Belfast 3 4 5 
			 West Belfast 2 3 3 
			 Belfast total 19 18 26 
			 Northern Ireland 89 102 142 
			 (1) Violent crime includes offences against the person, sexual offences and robbery. (2) Figures are based on the victim type or victim occupation being categorised as a taxi or mini cab driver.

TRANSPORT

20 mph Zones

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has issued on the enforcement of 20 mph zones.

Stephen Ladyman: Traffic Advisory Leaflet 9/99 and DETR Circular 05/00 provide local traffic authorities with guidance on when and where to introduce 20mph zones. Both documents recognise the key to an effective 20mph zone is that it is self-enforcing through regular traffic calming measures which reduce speeds to 20mph or less without the need for police enforcement.
	This message was reinforced in the Department's new guidance on setting local speed limits, published in August this year, which further encourages implementation of 20mph zones.

Airbus A380

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which UK airports are suitable for use by the A380 Airbus.

Gillian Merron: Heathrow is the only UK airport currently to have developed the ground facilities and adapted its operational procedures in order to handle scheduled A380 passenger services.

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02.

Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport and the majority of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies do not record payments for hotel accommodation for staff and others separately from other subsistence costs. More detailed information would only be available at disproportionate cost. Overnight subsistence allowances for UK and overseas, and specific hotel costs where available, are contained in the following table.
	
		
			   
			2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 DfT (C) UK subsistence allowance staff  292,079 307,442 299,915 332,702 
			  UK subsistence allowance other  151 0 0 320 
			  Overseas subsistence allowance staff  404,344 452,256 439,283 495,697 
			  Overseas subsistence allowance other  3,999 5,415 3,794 15,450 
			
			 GCDA Total subsistence allowance 204,729 210,385 254,552 260,038 192,172 
			
			 MCA UK hotel Only available at disproportionate cost 610,083 
			  Overseas hotel Only available at disproportionate cost 151,691 
			 
			 HA  Only available at disproportionate cost  
			 
			 DSA Total travel and subsistence 345,324 317,559 3.76 million 4.84 million 5.56 million 
			
			 VOSA Accommodation   712,363 737,172 700,016 
			
			 DVLA UK hotel   629,000 701,000 679,000 
			  Overseas hotel   1,100 7,000 8,000 
			
			 VGA UK hotel 931 5,688 4,540 37,132 58,706 
			  Overseas hotel 0 330 1,277 142,44 26,672 
		
	
	Information relating to overseas travel by Ministers is published on an annual basis. Information for the period 2 May 2005 to 31 March 2006 is available in the Library of the House. Information for the current financial year will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year. No records are kept about the category of any hotels in which Ministers have stayed.
	The amounts spent on hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation for Ministers and officials during visits abroad are as follows:
	
		
			
			 29 May 2002-31 March 2003 4,110 
			 1 April 2003-31 March 2004 6,907 
			 1 April 2004-31 March 2005 2,423 
			 1 April 2005-31 March 2006 9,094 
			 1 April 2005-31 August 2006 1,045 
		
	
	Details of the amount spent on hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation for Ministers and officials within the UK are not routinely collated and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	All travel is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the ministerial code, travel by Minister and the civil service management code.

Departmental Vehicles

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cars are available for the use of  (a) Ministers and  (b) senior officials in his Department; and how many of these are hybrid vehicles.

Stephen Ladyman: Official cars and drivers for ministers and senior officials are provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency under guidance set out in Travel by Ministers and the Ministerial Code.
	There are five official cars allocated to the Department for Transport, two which are hybrid petrol/electric vehicles used by ministers.

EU Headlights Policy

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential effect on  (a) carbon emissions and  (b) fuel consumption of the EU policy of vehicles travelling with headlights on at all times.

Stephen Ladyman: The European Commission's consultation paper on the impact of daylight running lights (DRL) stated that DRLs would increase the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of a vehicle by up to 1.5 per cent. We think that this estimate is roughly correct. The impact of an EU-wide policy would be less than this; a portion of driving is at night anyway, many member states already have mandatory rules on the use of DRLs, and specially designed DRLs (rather than dipped beam headlamps) can be much more energy efficient.
	The UK opposes both mandatory fitment of dedicated DRLs and compulsory daytime use of dipped beam headlamps, due to concerns about increased risk to vulnerable road users (including motorcyclists), and increased costs to motorists, as well as the environmental impacts. We have expressed these concerns at international fora and will reiterate them in our response to the European Commission consultation.

European Aviation Safety Agency

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the European Aviation Safety Agency will be given full enforcement powers; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: In line with other EU Agencies, the European Aviation Safety Agency does not itself have powers of enforcement.
	The Agency drafts common safety rules in the fields in which it has competence. These rules, when formally adopted through Community procedures, are legally binding across the EU. In some areas of regulation, such as type certification of aircraft products and parts, the Agency implements the rules itself, but in other areas implementation is the responsibility of member states' National Aviation Authorities (NAAs).
	Enforcement of these rules is the responsibility of the NAAs, who have the option of taking action in the national courts in the event of non-compliance.

Freight Trains

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Office of Rail Regulator plans to introduce an environmental levy on goods transported by freight trains.

Tom Harris: The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) published, on 11 October 2006, a consultation document ORR's Sustainable Development and Environment Duties.
	One of the issues on which ORR is seeking stakeholder views relates to the use of an environmental charge that would reflect the costs of train operations on the environment.
	A copy of the consultation document can be found on the ORR website at http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/304.pdf and will be made available in the Library of the House. Consultation responses are requested by 22 December 2006.

FV Gaul

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the total cost of investigations and inquiries into the loss of the F V Gaul in 2006 prices.

Stephen Ladyman: The total cost to the Department of investigations and inquiries into the loss of the FV Gaul was 6.5 million.
	
		
			
			 Original Formal Investigation 1975 20,000 
			 MAIB 1998 survey 692,000 
			 Re-opened Formal Investigation 5,800,000 
		
	
	No adjustment has been made for 2006 prices.

FV Gaul

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made towards the implementation of the formal safety recommendations arising from the F V Gaul Re-opened Formal Investigation.

Stephen Ladyman: It is considered that, as far as is reasonably practicable, the recommendations have been implemented.

FV Gaul

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any evidence of a design fault in the construction and arrangement of the duff and offal chutes on the trawler F V Gaul was made available to the Wreck Commissioner during the 2004 investigation.

Stephen Ladyman: The Marine Accident Investigation Branch provided the inquiry with a copy of a full set of technical drawings for the vessel, a number of which detailed the design of these chutes. These drawings were reviewed by the technical experts and the expert representing the Department for Transport referred to these drawings in the production of the document Notes on the duff and offal chutes, submitted to the Re-opened Formal Investigation. These notes included comments on the design of the chutes and the potential design inadequacies.

Nottingham NET Tram System

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the change in estimated costs for lines two and three has been of the Nottingham NET tram system since his Department accepted the final submission.

Tom Harris: We received the final information from the promoters in response to our questions in spring this year. At that time, the promoters estimated that the scheme would require central Government funding of 422 million PFI credits, and a local contribution of 140.6 million (in present value).
	Today we approved programme entry for the NET extensions, with central Government funding of 437 million PFI credits, on the basis of the promoter's latest estimates. The latest estimate for the required local contribution is 141.0 million (in present value).

Road Safety

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on road safety campaigns in  (a) Suffolk,  (b) Bedfordshire,  (c) Cambridgeshire,  (d) Essex,  (e) Hertfordshire and  (f) Norfolk in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not available. It is for each local authority to determine its spend on road safety campaigns.

Rugby Western Relief Road

Jeremy Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what delegated legislation will be necessary for the construction of the Rugby Western Relief Road.

Gillian Merron: To enable Warwickshire county council to proceed with the construction of the Rugby Western Relief Road, the council will require confirmation by the Secretary of State for Transport of two orders: A Side Roads Order, to effect alterations to highways and private accesses, and a Compulsory Purchase Order to acquire the necessary lands. The council will also require planning permission.

Train Services (London to Brighton)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the future of services to London Victoria from Brighton station.

Tom Harris: No significant changes to rail services from Brighton to London Victoria are foreseen.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Comptroller and Auditor General Report

Peter Bone: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission whether the Speaker's Committee has received the Comptroller and Auditor General's statutory value for money report on the Electoral Commission for 2004-05.

Peter Viggers: Yes. The Speaker's Committee considered this report, entitled Is the Public Aware of Democracy?, at its meeting on 18 July 2006. The report examines the Electoral Commission's expenditure in 2004-05 in pursuance of its statutory duty under section 13 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to promote public awareness of electoral and democratic systems. The Comptroller and Auditor General had previously reported on the Commission's expenditure in this area in his 2002-03 report, and this report includes a summary of the progress made by the Electoral Commission in implementing recommendations he made then.
	The Committee is grateful to the Comptroller and Auditor General for this further report on an area to which the Electoral Commission devotes each year a significant proportion of its overall financial resources. The Committee has published it as an appendix to its first report 2006 and, as that report makes clear, will be following up the conclusions and recommendations with the Electoral Commission. The Committee's report was laid before the House on 25 July 2006 as House of Commons paper number 1581. Copies have been placed in the Library and are now available in the Vote Office.

Electoral Commissioners

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission whether the Speaker's Committee has considered the implications of the statutory disqualifications from appointment as an Electoral Commissioner for the effectiveness with which the Commission discharges its functions.

Peter Viggers: The effect of section 3(4) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 is to disqualify from appointment as an Electoral Commissioner a wide range of people who have been actively involved with political parties, or held elective office, over the preceding 10 years. At its meeting on 3 May 2006, the Speaker's Committee agreed to write to the Lord Chancellor raising the issue of whether these restrictions reduced the effectiveness of the Electoral Commission in discharging its functions, and to seek to place the exchange of correspondence in the public domain.
	I have now placed in the Library copies of Mr. Speaker's letter to the Lord Chancellor on this matter, and the Lord Chancellor's reply. In view of the relevance of the exchange to the current inquiry of the Committee on Standards in Public Life into the Electoral Commission, I am also arranging for it to be sent copies, as I undertook to do when I gave evidence to that Committee on 7 September.

SCOTLAND

Complaints

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many formal complaints his Department has received in each year since 1999.

David Cairns: Information is not available prior to 1 April 2001; since that date, the Scotland Office has received two complaints, one in 2003-04 and one in 2005-06.

Comprehensive Spending Review

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Treasury on the comprehensive spending review 2007; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: My right hon. Friend has regular discussions with Treasury colleagues on a range of matters.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on organising and hosting conferences in the last 12 months.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office has incurred no expenditure organising and hosting conferences in the last 12 months.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on taxis in the last 12 months.

David Cairns: In 2005-06, the Scotland Office spent 8,983 on taxis.

Departmental Staff

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many press officers are employed by his Department; and how many were employed in each year between 1999 and 2005.

David Cairns: At present, the Scotland Office has one press officer; figures for previous years are published in the Office's annual reports.

Departmental Travel

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent by his Department on  (a) chartering aircraft and  (b) non-scheduled air travel in each of the last five years.

David Cairns: Nothing.

Guardian's Allowance

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in each constituency in Scotland receive the guardian's allowance.

David Cairns: The information requested is not available by constituency. The average number of people receiving the guardian's allowance in the UK is 2,800.

Muslim Council of Britain

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much  (a) financial support and  (b) support in kind his Department and its agencies have given to the Muslim Council of Britain in each year since 1997.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established in July 1999. Since that date it has incurred no expenditure in cash or in kind in support of the Muslim Council of Britain.

Private Finance Initiative

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent by his Department on private finance initiative projects postponed pending further consideration or stopped in the last 12 months.

David Cairns: Nothing.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Exports

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) live calves and  (b) live sheep have been exported for (i) slaughter and (ii) further fattening since 1 May, broken down by country of destination.

Ben Bradshaw: As at 11 October, the number of calves exported from the UK to mainland Europe for fattening, prior to slaughter this year, by country, are in the following table:
	
		
			  Country  Estimated number of Calves 
			 Belgium 11,526 
			 France 2,349 
			 Germany 34 
			 Italy 738 
			 Netherlands 25,511 
			 Spain 3,200 
			 Total 43,358 
		
	
	These figures have been taken from the Cattle Tracing System.
	Equivalent figures for sheep are not available. However, information from the European Union-wide Trade Control and Expert System, TRACES, (based on export health certification) indicates that sheep exports to mainland Europe from 1 May to 30 September were:
	
		
			  Country  Estimated Number of Sheep 
			 France 24,452 
			 Germany 6,947 
			 Italy 8,578 
			 Netherlands 2,624 
			 Total 42,601 
		
	
	These figures represent the number of sheep on applications for export health certificates. Not all these sheep will have been subsequently exported. The figures therefore represent a maximum. TRACES does not distinguish between the purpose of exports.

Animal Exports

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he takes to establish whether live calves exported to other European Union Member States are unloaded after 18 hours of travel and given at least 24 hours rest, food and liquid as required by Council Directive 91/628/EEC concerning the protection of animals during transport; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Responsibility for applying Council Directive 91/628/EEC in other member states rests with the relevant competent authority in those countries. However, state veterinary service staff at Animal Health Divisional Offices check route plans when they are returned by transporters. Transporters are required to record details of the actual journey undertaken and to explain any variations from the journey planned.

Animal Exports

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) live calves and  (b) live sheep destined for export have been rejected prior to export since May 2006 at (i) the place of origin and (ii) the port; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: This information is no longer collected. Following increased levels of exports, the use made of this data could no longer justify the resources required to collect it.

Animal Production Businesses

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animal production businesses in England have more than 250 employees.

Barry Gardiner: Data from the June Agricultural Survey is not available at business level but only by individual holding. The number of holdings in England at June 2005, where livestock production is the predominant activity and employees number greater than 250, are less than five. In order to protect the confidentiality of survey respondents, as required under the Agricultural Statistics Act, it is not possible to reveal the exact numbers when these are very small.

Animal Welfare Bill

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many working parties he has set up to discuss aspects of regulations associated with progress of the Animal Welfare Bill; and who has been invited to sit on each working party.

Ben Bradshaw: Since 2004, the Department has set up 13 working groups on the Animal Welfare Bill and accompanying regulations. Membership has consisted of the main animal welfare organisations, the relevant industry and hobby groups, local authorities and DEFRA officials. Some groups have also included representatives from other Government departments, the Devolved Administrations, the police and Equity.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cattle found to have TB lesions after slaughter in abattoirs had (a) passed and (b) failed the TB skin test in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: The following table gives the (i) number of TB skin test reactors confirmed by the identification of visible lesions at post-mortem examination and/or by laboratory analysis, (ii) the number of non-TB skin test reactor animals identified as potentially infected by TB at routine slaughter, i.e. 'slaughterhouse cases', and (iii) the number of slaughterhouse cases where bovine TB was confirmed by laboratory culture. All figures are for Great Britain.
	
		
			   (i) Total number of confirmed reactors  (ii) Total number of slaughterhouse cases  (iii) Total number of confirmed slaughterhouse cases 
			 2006(1) 4,663 456 247 
			 2005 8,657 591 390 
			 2004 6,422 389 239 
			 2003 6,308 303 178 
			 2002(2) 6,993 386 193 
			 2001(2) 2,342 197 111 
			 2000 3,644 242 132 
			 1999 2,841 189 100 
			 1998 2,272 120 58 
			 1997 1 ,441 12 7 
			 (1) Provisional figures for Jan-August 2006. Data downloaded from the state veterinary service database on 27 September 2006 and subject to change as more data become available. (2) In 2001, the TB testing and control programme was largely suspended due to the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak. When testing resumed in 2002, resources were concentrated on herds with overdue TB tests which would have had a longer period in which to contract the disease. Also the proportion of high risk herds tested immediately after the FMD outbreak was greater than that prior to the outbreak. As a result, data for 2001 and 2002 are not comparable with other years.  Source: State Veterinary Service database 
		
	
	Of the cases where lesions suggestive of bovine TB were identified during post-mortem examination ('slaughterhouse cases') it is not possible to identify how many had previously tested clear for TB. If this information was readily available it would still not be possible to state with certainty whether a slaughterhouse case with confirmed  Mycobacterium bovis infection had acquired it before or after passing a TB skin test.
	Carcase inspection at slaughter is an important surveillance tool. Its objective is to provide a safety net to identify  Mycobacterium bovis in animals which have not been subject to testing prior to slaughter as well as cases which may have been missed by the skin test. Post-mortem inspection is also an important safeguard to human health.

Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many fines have been issued under the provisions of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 in each local authority.

Ben Bradshaw: The legislation on fixed penalty notices under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 was commenced in April this year. Data on the number of fixed penalty notices issued is collected by means of annual returns from local authorities. Data for the period April 2006 to March 2007 will be collected next year for release in autumn 2007.

Departmental Waste Review

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to publish the Department's waste review by the end of 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr Cable) on 16 October 2006,  Official Report, column 91OW.

National Air Quality Strategy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects the review of the National Air Quality Strategy to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: A consultation document on the review of the Air Quality Strategy was issued on 5 April, inviting comments by 11 July. A copy of the document is available on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/airqualstrat-review/.
	We are currently analysing the responses, carrying out further assessment of some of the measures and updating the baseline to take account of the latest data, such as energy projections. A final Strategy report is planned for the early part of next year.

Newcastle Disease

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the East Lothian Newcastle Disease outbreak; how many of each type of bird were slaughtered; what contingency plans were being followed; and what compensation is available to breeders whose birds were slaughtered.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 24 October 2006
	Animal health and welfare is a devolved issue and, as such, the Scottish Executive implemented their Newcastle Disease contingency plan. Compensation arrangements were made under Scottish legislation.

Organic/Free Range Produce

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will increase the penalties for misrepresenting  (a) organic and  (b) free range products.

Barry Gardiner: The Organic Products Regulations and the Egg Marketing Regulations provide for penalties not exceeding level five of the standard scale. This is in line with the level for similar offences and there are currently no plans to increase the level.

Sheep Diseases

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his Department will assess the merits of using the Australian vaccination for caseous lymphadenitis in sheep.

Ben Bradshaw: Commercial vaccines to protect against caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) are available in several countries including Australia. None of the commercially produced vaccines are currently authorised for marketing in the UK; however a veterinary surgeon may apply for a Special Import Certificate to import vaccine for use in a particular infected flock. Glanvac, a vaccine used in Australia has been imported into the UK for the control of CLA infection in both sheep and goats.
	The widespread availability of a CLA vaccine in GB would depend on a commercial decision by a vaccine manufacturer to apply for a Marketing Authorisation; however if CLA vaccine were to become generally available, its use could suppress clinical disease in infected flocks without eradicating infection. As vaccinated animals can transmit infection, the use of vaccine in the absence of health certification could increase the risk of spread of infection.

Veterinary Surgeons

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the public petition of 9 June 2004 from Mrs. I. O'Neill and others for an independent ombudsman to deal with complaints against the veterinary profession; and what response he has made to the petition.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government have made it clear on a number of occasions that they accept that the current arrangements for dealing with complaints against veterinary surgeons could be improved. This means looking at the scope of any complaints system, the range of actions that the regulatory body has at its disposal, and whether the system is sufficiently transparent and fair.
	We have received a number of ideas on how complaints against veterinary surgeons should be managed, including the appointment of an independent ombudsman. We will also look at whether better models exist for the way in which complaints against other professions are handled. These issues are being considered as part of a wider review of the existing regulatory framework for veterinary surgeons. However there is currently no set timetable for making changes to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

Veterinary Surgeons

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many veterinary surgeons qualified in each year since 2000.

Ben Bradshaw: The number of veterinary surgeons to have qualified in each year since 2000 are as follows:
	
		
			   Number of veterinary surgeons qualified 
			 2000 480 
			 2001 494 
			 2002 493 
			 2003 498 
			 2004 588 
			 2005 566

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Commission Staff

Harry Cohen: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will  (a) carry out an age audit of its staff to establish an age profile of its workforce,  (b) negotiate an age management policy with trade unions and employees to eliminate age discrimination and retain older workers,  (c) identify and support training needs and offer older staff flexible working to downshift towards retirement and  (d) extend to over-fifties the right to request to work flexibly and the right to training with paid time-off; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The House of Commons Service has monitored the age profile of its staff for a number of years. For the last two years, the following statistics have been produced by the Corporate Learning and Diversity team.
	
		
			  Age  September 2005  September 2006 
			 Under 25 5.3 5.1 
			 25-39 36.7 37.3 
			 40-49 27.1 28.8 
			 50-59 22.3 21.0 
			 60-65 8.6 9.2 
		
	
	The House's retirement policy has been reviewed, in consultation with the trade unions, in the light of legislation on Age Discrimination which became law on 1 October. The new retirement procedure allows staff to request to remain in employment after their 65(th) birthday either in their present role or in another role within the House where a vacancy occurs.
	All staff of the House are required to complete a personal development plan each year. Departmental Training Officers then arrange events to meet identified needs. Training, learning and development are available to all staff of the House. There are no age restrictions apart from where the training might still be continuing when retirement age is reached. Work-related training is normally undertaken in working time, so staff are paid as normal. The House also offers pre-retirement courses. The House's Corporate Business Plan states that it recognises flexible working will help to retain valued staff which will be essential to meet changing business needs. For some time, all permanent staff have had the right to request flexible working. Working patterns by gender, ethnicity, age and pay band are being monitored to ensure fair treatment to all.

Parliamentary Staff (Foreign Nationals)

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many foreign nationals work on the parliamentary estate.

Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner) on 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1642W, for details of how many passholders are non-UK citizens.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans his Department has should the Royal Navy require two aircraft carriers for an operation whilst one is out of service for maintenance purposes once the future aircraft carriers have entered service.

Adam Ingram: The Defence requirement is for an aircraft carrier to be available at high readiness for operations throughout the year. The acquisition of two ships will ensure this requirement is met and will also allow for essential training and maintenance to be carried out. The second carrier will also be able to fulfil the Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) role when the dedicated LPH ship, currently HMS Ocean, is unavailable.

Battle Deployment

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  which units are allocated to an EU order of battle deployment;
	(2)  what resources the Government have identified as plausible UK commitments in the event of a deployment of the EU Rapid Reaction Force.

Adam Ingram: There is no EU order of battle or EU rapid reaction force.
	In the Helsinki Headline Goal, adopted in 1999, the EU established a target of being able to deploy up to 50,000 to 60,000 troops on a range of crisis management tasks, from humanitarian relief to peace support operations. The UK has offered forces up to a maximum of 12,500 troops, 72 combat aircraft and 18 warships plus support ships. This is not a standing force, but an indication of the numbers and types of forces that the UK could potentially make available for EU-led operations, subject to other commitments.
	Additionally the UK has agreed periodically to provide troops on standby in the context of the EU Battlegroups concept. EU Battlegroups are small, mobile self-sustaining forces (approximately 1,500 troops) intended for rapid intervention in a crisis, typically in response to a UN request. The UK provided a national Battlegroup on standby during the first half of 2005 and will do so again in 2008. With the Netherlands we have also offered an amphibious Battlegroup in 2010. Each Battlegroup will be on standby for a period of six months.
	The commitment of national forces to an EU-led operation remains a sovereign decision for nations concerned.

Hampton Review

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what input  (a) his Department and  (b) its (i) agencies and (ii) non-departmental public bodies had into the Hampton Review and its report, Reducing Administrative Burdens: Effective Inspection and Enforcement.

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 280W.

Iraq

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether US Government officials have paid sums to British forces in connection with operations in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: US Government officials do not pay sums to British forces in connection with operations in Iraq. Coalition partners do share logistical support but where payment is required for these activities, it is provided on a repayment basis.
	The UK does have access to US Commander's Emergency Response Programme (CERPs) funding. Resources drawn from this are, however, allocated directly to certain reconstruction projects in MND(SE).

Military Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel are expected to be deployed in a Vector vehicle.

Adam Ingram: Vector has a seating arrangement designed for a crew of two (a vehicle commander and driver) and four passengers, with an occasional seat for a seventh person. However, the deployment of personnel in Vector vehicles is a matter for military commanders, who will crew them as they see fit.

Military Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advantage the Vector vehicles have over the latest Snatch Land Rovers in terms of protection from improvised explosive devices and other explosive devices.

Adam Ingram: In addition to improved agility and terrain accessibility, Vector vehicles offer better levels of protection than the Snatch Land Rover against the key threats faced in Afghanistan, including improvised explosive devices. I cannot disclose the specific details of threats and the protection measures to counter them, as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the security of our armed forces.

Night Vision Equipment

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidelines are used by his Department for the allocation of night vision goggles to troops; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: There are no specific guidelines issued for the allocation of night vision goggles. It is for Commanders to determine when and how they are used and the equipment is then issued to individuals according to the requirements of each task. Priority is given to units either on Operations, or undertaking pre-deployment training.

WALES

Departmental Dress Code

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his Department's policy is on the display of religious  (a) artefacts,  (b) symbols and  (c) dress by its staff; how many staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding this policy in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office does not have a formal dress code. Staff are expected to present a smart/professional appearance while at work or conducting official business. Where an employee's religion requires them observe a particular dress code, this is respected.
	No Wales Office staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings on the basis of dress.

Departmental Staff

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department will  (a) carry out an age audit of its staff to establish an age profile of its workforce,  (b) negotiate an age management policy with trade unions and employees to eliminate age discrimination and retain older workers,  (c) identify and support training needs and offer older staff flexible working to downshift towards retirement and  (d) extend to over-fifties the right to request to work flexibly and the right to training with paid time off; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office is a small organisation with a diverse workforce. Staff represent all working age bands, and the Wales Office is fully compliant with age discrimination legislation. Opportunities for training, flexible working, recruitment and retention are available to all staff, regardless of age. On this basis, it is not necessary for the Wales Office to undertake an age audit.

Departmental Staff

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of vacancies in his Department in the last 12 months required candidates to have at least a grade C in  (a) English and  (b) mathematics GCSE.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office is a small organisation, with fewer than 60 staff based in Cardiff and London. It draws its staff from other bodies, namely the National Assembly for Wales and Department of Constitutional Affairs. These staff have already had their qualifications assessed, and so we do not directly specify any requirement for these qualifications in our vacancies.

Departmental Staff

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department recognises the International GCSE as an acceptable substitute for a GCSE for the purposes of recruitment.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office is a small organisation, with fewer than 60 staff based in Cardiff and London. It draws its staff from other bodies, namely the National Assembly for Wales and Department of Constitutional Affairs. These staff have already had their qualifications assessed, and so we do not need to carry out any further assessment of GCSEs or other qualifications.

Muslim Council of Britain

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much  (a) financial support and  (b) support in kind his Department and its agencies have given to the Muslim Council of Britain in each year since 1997.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office was established in 1999 and has given neither financial support nor support in kind to the Muslim Council of Britain.

Social Exclusion

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with other appropriate Government departments on how best practice on social exclusion can be shared with the Welsh Assembly Government.

Peter Hain: Devolution enables the Welsh Assembly Government to adopt tailor-made policies to tackle social exclusion in Wales. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Social Exclusion takes a close interest in the work of the Assembly Government in this area, and her Department maintains contact with the Assembly Minister for Social Justice and her officials in order to exchange best practice and to ensure that work is properly co-ordinated.
	The different countries of the UK have recently worked together to produce the UK's National Action Plan on Social Inclusion for the EU, which sets out some of the most promising programmes and approaches developed across the countries of the UK.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Travel

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent by her Department on  (a) chartering aircraft and  (b) non-scheduled air travel in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: The costs of chartering aircraft by the Department in each of the past five years are not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts without incurring disproportionate costs.
	In respect of overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year. Where non-scheduled aircraft are used this is shown in the list. Information for 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006. Copies of the lists are available in the Library for the reference of Members.
	All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library for the reference of Members. All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code, a copy of which is also available in the Library for the reference of Members.

Digital Dividend Review Consultation

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she expects to publish an interim report following the closure of the Digital Dividend Review Consultation.

Shaun Woodward: holding answer 23 October 2006
	On 17 November 2005 Ofcom announced the beginning of the Digital Dividend Review project. This is to examine the options arising from the release of spectrum afforded by the digital switchover programme.
	It is for Ofcom to decide when to publish a report.

Funding (Theatres)

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much public funding has been made available to theatre companies in the East Midlands in each year between 1998 and 2005.

David Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not fund the arts directly, but through Arts Council England, who are responsible for distributing public money from Government.
	The Arts Council of England merged with the regional arts boards in 2002-03. It is not possible to provide reliable funding figures for theatre in the East Midlands prior to this date.
	
		
			  Arts Council England, East Midlands regular funding for theatre organisations 
			   000 
			 2002-03 3,280 
			 2003-04 4,295 
			 2004-05 4,522 
			 2005-06 4,734 
		
	
	In addition, since 2003-04 Arts Council England, East Midlands has allocated over 2.6 million to 169 organisations and individuals through their Grants for the arts funding scheme.

Government Art Collection

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which Ministers have artwork from the Government Art Collection in their offices; what requests the collection has received for changes to the artwork hanging in ministerial offices in each of the last five years; and what the average cost of  (a) exchanging and  (b) hanging a new artwork from the collection has been over the same period.

David Lammy: A list of which Ministers have works of art from the Government Art Collection in their offices and what requests the collection has received for changes to the works of art hanging in ministerial offices in each of the last five years is provided in a separate document. I am arranging for copies of this document to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	The Government Art Collection (GAC) spends approximately 130,000 from its annual Programme Vote on transport and installation in major Government buildings in the UK and all around the world, as well as the transport of works of art to and from conservators and framers. The GAC employs freelance specialist fine art transporters and installers for these jobs.
	It is not possible to provide a meaningful figure for the average cost of exchanging and installing an individual work of art in a Minister's office. For reasons of economy, the installation of groups of works of art in ministerial and other offices and areas in departmental buildingssuch as entrance halls, waiting rooms, conference rooms, corridors, etc.are almost always batched together in the same job. Additionally, time taken to remove and install works of art in offices may vary due to the size, weight, number and handling difficulties of individual works and physical considerations such as the type of wall involved, etc. Individual GAC staff costs would also have to be taken into consideration, to include recording all moves of works of art, assistance with initial selections of works of art, organising their transport and installation, and overseeing the installation itself.

Ministerial Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1369W, on ministerial visits, when she next plans to visit Northern Ireland.

David Lammy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State currently has no plans to visit Northern Ireland.

PFI Projects

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent by her Department on Private Finance Initiative projects postponed pending further consideration or stopped in the last 12 months.

David Lammy: DCMS does not keep detailed costs as projects are managed by local authorities. Within the last 12 months one project has been postponed for reconsideration. DCMS does not have details of the cost accrued by the local authority.
	Shepway district council-Leisure PFI project. was delayed for re-consideration of the Outline Business Case.

Public Events (Risk Assessment)

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance her Department has issued to licensing authorities on the requirement for requiring risk assessments for public events which included regulated entertainment.

Shaun Woodward: The guidance issued to licensing authorities under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 states that all applicants for a premises licence or club premises certificate should carry out a risk assessment against the four licensing objectives in order to identify any necessary steps to be recorded in the operating schedule.
	The guidance does not state how the risk assessment should be carried out or recorded. However, it lists publications which give technical and professional advice about safety and risk assessment at events and may be relevant in the context of regulated entertainment.

Tourism (Press Releases)

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many press releases on tourism her Department has issued since April.

Shaun Woodward: The Department has issued one tourism-specific press release since April 2006. It has also issued a number of press releases relating to tourism as well as other areas; and on areas that are a key part of our tourism industry, such as licensing, heritage and culture.
	VisitBritain, funded by grant in aid from the Department, has issued 81 press releases since April. These have covered the promotion of England and Britain as a tourism destination, VisitBritain's responsibility to help the British tourism industry address the media more effectively, and activity to raise the value of the visitor economy.

UK Film Council

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent by the UK Film Council in the East Midlands in the last six years.

Shaun Woodward: The UK Film Council has made lottery awards, both directly and through its delegates Skillset and First Light, to organisations and film makers based in the East Midlands over the last six years as follows:
	
		
			   Lottery () 
			 2000-01 n/a 
			 2001-02 107,000 
			 2002-03 349,055 
			 2003-04 142,989 
			 2004-05 97,055 
			 2005-06 1,546,400 
		
	
	In addition to its direct funding of projects, the UK Film Council disperses a combination of Lottery and Grant in Aid (GIA) funding through the Regional Investment Fund for England (RIFE) to each of the English regions through nine Regional Screen Agencies. EM Media is the agency tasked with supporting film activity in the East Midlands. In each of the last six years the UK Film Council has invested RIFE monies in EM Media as follows:
	
		
			   
			   GIA  Lottery  Total 
			 2000-01
			 2001-02 330,000 270,000 600,000 
			 2002-03 590,000 322,000 912,000 
			 2003-04 590,000 322,000 912,000 
			 2004-05 590,000 322,000 912,000 
			 2005-06 590,000 322,000 912,000

PRIME MINISTER

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister how many  (a) letters and  (b) postcards he has received since July from (i) members of the public, (ii) hon. Members and (iii) members of the House of Lords about the issue of abortion; how many and what percentage (A) supported and (B) opposed abortion; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: Since July my office has received approximately 200 representations about this issue. Given the volume of correspondence I receive, thousands of letters each week covering a broad spectrum of issues, my office records letters by subject rather than by the view expressed.

Departmental Travel

David Davies: To ask the Prime Minister how much has been spent by his Office on  (a) chartering aircraft and  (b) non-scheduled air travel in each of the last five years.

Tony Blair: Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year. Copies of these lists are available in the Library of the House. Information on the number of officials accompanying Ministers on overseas visits is included in the list.
	All Ministers' travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in chapter 10 of the ministerial code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers.

Human Rights

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Prime Minister when  (a) he and  (b) his office first saw the draft of the Foreign Office's 2006 report on Human Rights for 2006.

Tony Blair: My Office received a draft of the report in September.

Ministerial Resignations

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with  (a) the Deputy Prime Minister,  (b) the Secretary of State for the Home Department and  (c) the Chancellor of the Exchequer since July about his forthcoming resignation as Prime Minister; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

Official Gifts

John Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 867W, on official gifts, 
	(1)  how each of the assets recorded on the Donated Asset Reserve as held by his Office are used; and for what reason each is retained;
	(2)  what use is made of the Segway transporter held by his Office as a donated asset; and for what reason it is retained.

Tony Blair: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 867W.

Privy Council

John Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 867W, on the Privy Council, through what mechanism he receives possible nominations for submission to the Queen; from whom he receives names; in what forum and with whom he discusses the merits of each candidate; and whether dossiers are maintained on each.

Tony Blair: I receive nominations from a broad range of people. I consult as necessary before submitting names to the Queen.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Millennium Development Goals

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has received from schools on the UK's contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Gareth Thomas: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development and I have received around 80 letters from schoolchildren this year on a wide range of issues relating to the Millennium Development Goals. We have met with school children and other young people, both at DFID offices and on regional visits.

Mongolia

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what UK aid has been allocated to Mongolia in 2006-07.

Gareth Thomas: DFID does not have a bilateral aid programme with Mongolia. However, DFID does contribute to the European Commission's development assistance to Mongolia. In 2005 the EC contribution was 5.12 million, of which the UK's contribution was some 615,000.

Pakistan

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in the earthquake region of Pakistan.

Gareth Thomas: During my recent visit to the earthquake-affected areas I saw at first hand the current situation and the changes that have taken place since the earthquake. Much has already been achieved. Thousands of people have been given semi-permanent shelter. Pre-fabricated housing and weather-proof tents have been provided. All health and education facilities are working, in permanent or temporary structures.
	The immediate challenge for the Pakistani government is the coming winter. They have worked with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and donors on a comprehensive winter contingency plan. The UK is ready to provide additional help if required during this period.

UN (Conflict Prevention)

Christine Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what he expects the future role of the UN to be in helping to prevent conflict in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Secretary General submitted in September a report which sets out how the UN will in future help to prevent conflict, including by resolving disputes peacefully and by building work on prevention into its development programmes. The report also calls for improvements to coordination in and outside of the UN, and to the UN's early warning, information collection and analysis capacity. The UK will continue to support these efforts through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool. We will also continue to support the UN's Peacebuilding Commission and peacekeeping operations in preventing the recurrence of conflict.

Climate Change

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on his Department's work on tackling climate change.

Hilary Benn: DFID takes the issue of climate change very seriously. We are working with others, in particular the World Bank and other multilateral development banks, to increase investment in lower carbon energy, so that we can make progress towards reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing the problem. We are helping developing countries to collect data on the range and type of climate-related changes that are likely to take place in coming years. We are also helping developing country planners to interpret that data, so they can make informed decisions about how best to respond. For example, they might need to introduce drought resistant crops.

Health Care Drugs

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the supply of health care drugs to the developing world from G8 countries; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The World Health Organisation estimates that one third of the world's population is without access to medicines, including the supply of drugs.
	DFID are supporting a number of global initiatives such as the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria; International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm), UNITAID and advance market commitments for vaccines.
	DFID helps to fund the broader health sector plans of developing country governments. Our programmes will build capacity in countries' own health services to manage all major causes of illness including the provision of drugs and other supplies.

Zimbabwe

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he next expects to meet his EU counterparts to discuss aid to Zimbabwe.

Hilary Benn: I regularly meet my EU counterparts, and our discussions include the situation in Zimbabwe. Foreign Ministers discussed Zimbabwe at the General Affairs and External Relations Council this month. The EU Common Position on Zimbabwe remains firm. The UK will press for extension of targeted measures against members of the Zimbabwe Government, due for review next February. EU members share deep concern for the plight of Zimbabweans resulting from bad governance. This was most recently demonstrated through the statement of condemnation of the brutal handling and serious abuse of the trade union demonstrators in Harare by the Zimbabwean authorities.

Afghanistan

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress his Department is making towards reconstruction in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: Between 2001 and March 2006 DFID spent over 390 million on reconstruction and development in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is DFID's fifth largest programme and we are Afghanistan's second largest bilateral donor, spending over 100 million in 2005-06. We are focusing on: building effective state institutions; improving economic management and improving rural livelihoods. The best way to do this is by supporting Afghans themselveswhich is why over 70 per cent. of our aid goes directly to the Government of Afghanistan. Afghanistan remains one of the UK's top priorities and we have provided valuable support to the Government who have made great progress over the last five years.

Afghanistan

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1152W, on Afghanistan, what projects his Department has  (a) undertaken and  (b) financially supported in Helmand Province.

Hilary Benn: DFID undertakes livelihoods projects, preferring to work through the Government of Afghanistan where possible. This support is essential to strengthen Government systems and build effective state institutions that will be able to continue to meet Afghanistan's development needs.
	In Helmand, DFID supports a number of livelihood programmes. I announced a 30 million Helmand Agriculture and Rural Development Programme earlier this year. This programme aims to increase economic opportunities for the rural poor of Helmand by supporting the Government of Afghanistan in the roll-out of existing successful National Programmes in Helmand. These programmes will provide improved water and sanitation, essential small-scale rural infrastructure, greater access to small loans, improved roads and access to markets and agricultural inputs and training to the people of Helmand. Priority preliminary tasks have been undertaken: i.e. sites for road and well building have been identified; engineering surveys conducted; and the Government procurement process started. This programme will construct 200 wells in and around Lashkar Gah city by end March 2007, and 49km of road will be under construction by then. Should the security situation allow, we also expect to build a further 490 wells in four districts in central Helmand by end March 2007.
	Through the 3 million DFID-funded Research into Alternative Livelihoods Fund (RALF), the Restorative Agriculture and Rural Economy Research Project, implemented by Mercy Corps, is working on export feasibility of grapes, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplants and okra, and has made strong contacts with raisin importers (organic and fair-trade). The programme is evaluating at least 10 different small-scale agri-processing industries, and producing case studies of enterprises that prove to have value added. For example tomato paste. In addition the programme has introduced a simple technology for the production of mint as a herbal remedy.
	DFID has committed 4 million to the UK Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) funding allocation of 6.5 million for the delivery of quick impact projects (QIPS) in Helmand to get short-term development results and help build a platform for longer-term activities. From the total allocation, half has been committed and all will be spent by March 2007. To date, nearly fifty such projects have been funded and implemented. These funds have provided humanitarian assistance to victims of the drought, constructed permanent vehicle checkpoints to improve security, improved security around the shrine in Gereshk, reinforced the river bank walls and provided flood defences for the Bowlan bridge. A full list of UK funded QIPs under the four broad sub-headings (Reconstruction and Development, Security, Governance, and Counter Narcotics) is attached.
	Supporting Documentation: Summary of Quick Impact Projects in Helmand Province
	
		
			  Project  Value (USD) 
			  Reconstruction and Development  
			 Sayed Tajdar Shrine: Wall and gate construction 21,224 
			 Sayed Tajdar Shrine: Road and footpath construction 3,076 
			 Improvement of Friday Market and Gabion wall 140,623 
			 Improvement of Friday Market (Cha-i-Anjeer) 24,950 
			 Emergency food distribution 3,400 
			 Gabion Extension 34,108 
			 Support to Office of the Governor to respond to needs of Internally Displaced People 60,000 
			 Support to Radio Stations 150,000 
			 Weir on Helmand River 153,147 
			 Silt removal from Helmand River 259,479 
			 Extension of Gabion walls on Helmand River 168,045 
			 Ulema Shura Ramadan Food 6,867 
			 Lashkar Gar Hospital Mortuary 50,000 
			 Bost Hospital Generator 60,000 
			 Womens Centre improvements 30,000 
			 Kartelegan and Toortank day care centres 80,000 
			 Ulema Shura Eid Support 1,900 
			 Womens Centre ISAF badges 750 
			   
			  Security  
			 Permanent Vehicle Check Points (PVCPs) 21,387 
			 Afghan National Police Outposts 480,000 
			 Afghan National Army Platoon House 45,000 
			 Afghan National Army Outposts 158,756 
			 4 Permanent Vehicle Check Points (PVCPs) 155,000 
			 4 Enhanced Permanent Vehicle Check Points (PVCPs) 110,000 
			 12 Permanent Vehicle Check Points (PVCPs) for Geresk 600,000 
			 New PSCC 150,000 
			   
			  Governance  
			 Media Training 486,900 
			 Radio Transmitter 122,400 
			 Helmand Governor - Armoured Car 126,684 
			 3,000 uniforms for 1,500 police 30,000 
			 GPS for the chief of police 150 
			 ID card making facility (ANP) 25,000 
			 Generators for the Governor 170,000 
			 Wall for the office of the prosecutor 10,000 
			 Support to the Office of the Governor 35,000 
			 Tribal Liaison Office, District Reports 155,708 
			 Rehabilitate Printing Press 45,000 
			   
			  Counter Narcotics  
			 Windmill Wells 10,640 
			 Vehicles for Counter Narcotics Police Authority 72,080 
			 Counter-narcotics PI campaign 279,939 
			 Communications equipment for the Counter Narcotics Police Afghanistan 10,000 
			 PA Systems for 12 District Centres 3,000 
			 Counter Narcotics Tractor Repairs 12,000 
			 Counter Narcotics Tractor Ploughs 30,000 
			 Total 4,592,213

Palestinian Country Assistance Plan

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what impact the refusal of Hamas to recognise Israel and renounce terrorism will have on the Palestinian Country Assistance Plan.

Hilary Benn: The 2004 Palestinian Country Assistance Plan (CAP) sets out how we will work towards three outcomes:
	prospects for peace enhanced;
	more effective, accountable and inclusive Palestinian institutions;
	humanitarian and development assistance delivered more effectively.
	These objectives remain valid. However, following the Hamas-led Government's failure to meet the Quartet principles, we cannot support the Palestinian Authority. Instead, we have had to find ways to get aid straight to the Palestinian people. DFID has produced an interim programme update setting out how we are working towards our CAP objectives in the current political environment. This is available at www.dfid.gov.uk I am also placing a copy in the House of Commons Library.

Africa (Climate Change)

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of people in sub-Saharan Africa who are at risk from diseases directly attributable to climate change.

Hilary Benn: The World Health Organisation has estimated that over 50,000 deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2000 were due to climate change (World Health Report 2002). These deaths were due to diarrhoea, flood injury, malaria and malnutrition. 2 per cent. of all cases of diarrhoea and malaria and almost one fifth of cases of malnutrition during this period were attributed to climate change. In their recent report entitled The Climate of Poverty: Facts, Fears and Hope, Christian Aid estimated that 182 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa were at risk of dying from diseases directly attributable to climate change by the end of this century if temperatures rise by 6(o)C.
	At Gleneagles in 2005, the UK and other G8 countries acknowledged the urgent need to increase efforts to combat climate change in their own countries and in the developing world. The Department for International Development has allocated 5 million over five years for work to improve the quality and availability of climate data in Africa and 24 million over five years to improve the capacity of African countries to adapt to climate change by building and maintaining a body of skilled African researchers.
	We have funded assessments of the potential impact on health in 12 of the least developed countries' nine of which are in Africa including Sudan, Mozambique, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Uganda. DFID is also the fourth largest donor to the Global Environment Facility contributing 118 million between 2003-04 and 2006-07.
	DFID is also working with African countries to tackle the problem, through strengthening national health systems and providing targeted support to programmes against TB, malaria and other communicable diseases. In Kenya for example, DFID has funded the distribution of approximately six million insecticide-treated bed nets to protect against malaria. This year, DFID has also doubled its contribution to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria to 66 million.

Departmental Staff

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost was of paying for fees at independent schools for the children of staff employed by his Department in the last year for which figures are available.

Hilary Benn: The cost of paying for fees at independent schools for the children of staff employed by the Department for International Development in the last year for which figures are available, is 626,113.

Lebanon

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance has been promised to the Lebanese Government for post-conflict rebuilding; and what percentage of this aid  (a) has been and  (b) is planned to be sent to the Lebanese Government.

Hilary Benn: The Government have allocated 22.3 million (around US $40 million) for humanitarian relief in Lebanon, including the UK's share of the European Union's humanitarian spending and the US $5 million drawn from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund. Working through international partners and non-governmental organisations, the Department for International Development (DFID) has contributed to providing medicines and other emergency supplies; providing water and sanitation; munitions clearance and funding for temporary bridges to allow humanitarian access. Fortunately the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon is now subsiding.
	Including this UK contribution, the Government of Lebanon have received formal pledges of $940 million (around 500 million) for humanitarian and recovery activities. The Government of Lebanon will assess its unmet needs in advance of a donor conference in January 2007. DFID has not made further pledges for post-conflict rebuilding.

Moldova

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has made available to assist vulnerable groups in Moldova; and if he will take steps to ensure that recipients of the funding are involved in meetings to discuss funding with officials in his Department.

Hilary Benn: DFID is working closely with the Moldovan Government to support the priorities identified in its Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EGPRSP) 2004-06 and has funded a range of programmes in support of vulnerable groups. These include: a Social Investment Fund to help rural communities plan and manage social infrastructure investments, including community-based services for vulnerable groups; a Rural Investment and Services Project which has supported the development on 900 small and medium-sized enterprises/livelihood projects in the poorest communities in Moldova; social assistance capacity building through the development of a network of NGOs that represent the interest of community groups; and community projects including support for integration of disabled children into the wider community.
	DFID is currently discussing with the Government of Moldova a Social Assistance Reform project and support to regional development in pilot regions of Moldova.
	It is our practice in Moldova as elsewhere to consult widely in the design and implementation of our programmes including with Government, civil society and representatives of beneficiary communities.

Moldova

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will instruct his officials to attend technical co-ordination meetings of the OSCE in Moldova on anti-trafficking measures; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID officials in Moldova are in regular contact with the OSCE office in Chisinau. DFID is not directly involved in anti-trafficking programmes. The OSCE, the International Organisation for Migration, the United States Agency for International Development and the United Nations Development Programme are leading on support to anti-trafficking measures.
	DFID bilateral programmes, and support to multilateral agencies in Moldova, aim to reduce poverty and social and economic deprivation associated with trafficking. Priorities include social assistance reform, regional development, public administration and public financial management reform, and support to social investment and rural investment programmes.
	DFID is currently discussing with the Government of Moldova possible social assistance reform support as well as support for regional development.
	It is our practice in Moldova as elsewhere to consult widely on the design and implementation of all our projects and programmes including with Government, civil society and representatives of beneficiaries communities.

Temporary International Mechanism

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution the UK has made to the Temporary International Mechanism.

Hilary Benn: DFID has so far provided 9 million to the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) for Palestinian basic needs. Of this, 3 million was for essential medical supplies; 3 million was to support the water, sanitation and electricity sectors, and 3 million was to provide allowances for the poorest Palestinian Government workers, such as teachers.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Claims Handling Agreement

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many compensation claims under the Claims Handling Agreement in which diagnosis occurred after the original medical assessment process report are still outstanding; and when he expects the backlog to be cleared.

Malcolm Wicks: The Claims Handling Agreement has no provision to deal with claimants who at the time of the Medical Assessment Process (MAP) do not have COPD but develop it at a later date. If a claimant wishes to claim for post-MAP development of COPD he is fully entitled to do so but will need to bring a separate claim under normal common law procedures.

Galileo Programme

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost for the UK has been of the Galileo programme; what the cost was of the last tranche of payment; which British companies are involved in the project; and what estimate he has made of the number and location of jobs in the UK which are dependent on the Galileo project.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 18 September 2006
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has the policy lead on Galileo.
	The European Union (EU) and member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) jointly fund the development of Galileo. To date the UK's subscription to the ESA element of the programme has been 142 million. The last tranche of payment was 4.15 million.
	The EU's contribution to the design and development phase of Galileo is made from the EC budget and is estimated by the Commission to be 790 million. The UK's contribution to the EC budget is around 17 per cent. of the total, before the UK receives any abatement.
	About 15 UK companies are already involved in Galileoproviding hardware, software, management and operations expertise. Industry estimates in 2005 indicated that about 500 UK Galileo-related jobs had been created in the upstream sector since the start of the Development Phase. If the project develops successfully, and depending on the sourcing decisions made by the European Space Industry involved in Galileo, I would expect more to be created in downstream sectors.

Low Carbon Buildings

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice his Department gives to householders wishing to apply for a grant under stream 1 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Should a householder wish to apply for a low carbon buildings grant, we continue to direct them towards the website, www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk or helpline number 0800 915 0990, for all information on the scheme and how to apply for a grant.
	It is important to be aware that for a householder to be eligible to apply for a grant, they need to undertake a number of energy efficiency measures prior to submitting their application. This is in line with the scheme objective of encouraging both energy efficiency and microgeneration technologies in a range of buildings as part of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme phase 1 scheme criteria.

Low Carbon Buildings

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to ensure that household grant applications under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme continue to be accepted once the 3.5 million budget for year one of the programme is allocated.

Malcolm Wicks: Initial funding for household applications was 6.5 million over the next three years. The uptake of grants in year one has been far higher than anticipated, reflecting the keen interest in microgeneration from householders. Over half of the original three-year budget has been committed. To enable the programme to continue we are re-allocating 6.2 million from other streams of this programme to the householder stream. I anticipate this funding lasting until mid-2008; by this time some of our wider measures to promote microgeneration should be taking hold, facilitating the uptake of these technologies.

Low Carbon Buildings

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date stream 1 of his Department's Low Carbon Buildings Programme began accepting household grant applications; and on what date he expects the year one budget will be allocated.

Malcolm Wicks: We began accepting household grant applications for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme at the beginning of May 2006. To date, we have committed 3.8 million to 2,456 successful applicants. However, not all of these applications are likely to go forward to completion.
	We will continue to monitor the amount that is being paid out and are in the process of reviewing the level of funding that is made available for the household stream going forward.

Low Carbon Buildings

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the likely demand for household grants under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in years one and two of the programme; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: In year one of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme household stream, 3.8 million has been committed towards 2,456 projects to date, of which 300,000 has been drawn down.
	The initial funding for household applications was 6.5 million over three years. To enable the programme to continue we are re-allocating 6.2 million from other streams of this programme to the householder stream. I anticipate this funding lasting until mid-2008; by this time some of our wider measures to promote microgeneration should be taking hold, facilitating the uptake of these technologies.

Steel Industry

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the acquisition of Corus by Tata Steel on employment in the UK steel industry.

Malcolm Wicks: We have made no such assessment. Corus has stated that there would be no job cuts in the short term, although like any other company the unpredictability of markets meant that it could not offer guarantees on jobs in the longer term. However the link-up with a low-cost producer with access to raw materials and to high-growth markets for products where Corus has a particular strength will enable the company to compete on a global scale, and thereby help secure the future of plants located in the UK.

Wind Turbines

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of research into the appropriate acoustic separation distance for larger wind turbines from residential properties; what distances are recommended in the Department's planning guidelines; and when those distances were last reviewed.

Malcolm Wicks: While there are no separation distances set down for noise, Planning Policy Statement 22: Renewable Energy gives guidance that Local Plans may include criteria that set out the minimum separation distances between the different types of renewable energy projects and other developments. The Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind Farms (ETSU-R-97) sets out the criteria when assessing the impact of noise on the nearest sensitive residential premises.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Computer Data (Privacy)

David Jones: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what bilateral arrangements exist between the United Kingdom and the United States of America to secure the privacy of computer data owned by UK nationals and stored via the internet on servers located within the United States.

Vera Baird: The United Kingdom has no bilateral arrangements with the United States regarding the storage, via the internet, of computer data owned by UK nationals on servers located in the United States.
	Where UK-based organisations transfer personal data outside the European Economic Area, they are required to make an assessment that adequate protection is in place for that data, via contractual or other arrangements. In the case of the USA, the European Commission has deemed that those US companies which are part of the Safe Harbour arrangements have adequate data protection for the purposes of complying with the 1995 Data Protection Directive.
	Where individuals consent to the transfer of their personal data, there is no barrier to it being sent outside the UK. Individuals who directly purchase goods or services on-line need to be aware that there may not be the same level of data protection outside the EEA area and should consider the terms of any privacy policy operated by the vendor before they conduct a transaction.

Database Security

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many confirmed security breaches of computer databases controlled by her Department have occurred in each year since its establishment.

Vera Baird: There has been one incident in July 2006. Information was compromised when IT equipment was stolen from departmental accommodation. The incident is under investigation.

Departmental Offices

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what refrigerant is to be used in the large air conditioning system recently installed in her Department's proposed new office at 50 Queen Anne's Gate; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The refrigerant to be used is R134a (HFC 134a). This is in line with my Department's policy for all major construction projects. The Department's policy is for natural ventilation for buildings whenever possible and only to install cooling systems where absolutely necessary. Where cooling cannot be avoided, designers are required to investigate systems which minimise environmental impact in terms of ozone depletion and global warming, using refrigerants with a zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) such as R134a and R66.
	The Design stage of the 50 Queen Anne's Gate refurbishment has been assessed under BREEAM for Offices 2004 and has achieved a rating of Excellent. BREAAM is a rating method to assess and improve the environmental performance of buildings.

Departmental Travel

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what foreign visits have been undertaken by departmental staff on official business in the last 12 months.

Vera Baird: During the period specified, officials undertook numerous missions to Brussels and other European capitals for official EU working groups, meetings at the European Parliament and (during the UK presidency) drafting meetings. Officials also accompanied Ministers to overseas meetings including meetings in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, the United States and South Africa and to the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels and Luxembourg, and the European Parliament. Officials have also attended meetings at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the Hague Conference on private international law, as well as various bilateral meetings and conferences.

Freedom of Information

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much funding her Department allocated to the Information Commissioner's Office in each year since 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The grant in aid allocated to the Information Commissioner's Office in the financial years since 2003 was as follows:
	
		
			
			 2003-04 11,200,000 
			 2004-05 12,500,000 
			 2005-06 5,000,000 
			 2006-07 5,550,000 
		
	
	The grant in aid in 2003-04 and 2004-05 covered the Information Commissioner's responsibilities for data protection and freedom of information. During this period the Commissioner collected notification fees paid by data controllers under the Data Protection Act 1998, section 26, and returned them to HM Treasury. For 2005-06 and 2006-07 the Commissioner, with the agreement of HM Treasury, retained the notification fees to fund his data protection work; the grant in aid covered only his freedom of information responsibilities.

Freedom of Information

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what advice her Department has issued on the recommended maximum length of time that a public authority should take to consider an internal review under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Vera Baird: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor has issued a code of practice under section 45 of the FOI Act advising public authorities that complaints on the handling of freedom of information requests should be dealt with in accordance with their own complaints procedures. They may set their own target times for dealing with complaints, but these should be reasonable and subject to regular review.
	The code of practice is available on the Department for Constitutional Affairs website (http://www.foi.gov.uk/reference/imprep/codepafunc.htm).
	Guidance issued by my Department to public authorities on conducting internal reviews advises that they should be completed in a reasonable timescale. It recommends that simple reviews should be dealt with within two to three weeks. Complex reviews should be dealt with within six weeks. This guidance is also available on my Department's website (http://www.foi.gov.uk/guidance/proguide/chap09.htm).

Freedom of Information

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average time taken for a public authority to conduct an internal review of a freedom of information request has been since 2000-01.

Vera Baird: Since the Freedom of Information Act 2000 came into force in January 2005, the Department for Constitutional Affairs has published quarterly statistical data on the volume, timeliness of responses, and initial outcomes of requests received by 42 central Government bodies. My Department does not presently collect information on the average time taken for a public authority to conduct an internal review under this regime.
	However, as noted in the Government's response to the Constitutional Affairs Committee Report, Freedom of Information: One Year On, the Government will examine the feasibility of including statistics on the duration of internal reviews in its FOI monitoring regime.

Information Commissioner

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what mechanisms are in place for the Information Commissioner to report to Parliament on  (a) his work and  (b) the running of his office.

Vera Baird: The Information Commissioner is an independent body created by statute. The Commissioner is responsible for enforcing the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
	Both Acts require the Commissioner to lay annually before Parliament a general report on the exercise of his functions under the Act. The Acts also provide that the Commissioner may from time to time lay before each House of Parliament such other reports on his functions as he thinks fit. The Commissioner is also required for each financial year to prepare a statement of account which is examined by the Comptroller and Auditor General and laid before each House of Parliament. The Commissioner as Accounting Officer is answerable to Parliament for the moneys allocated to him.
	The Constitutional Affairs Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Constitutional Affairs and its associated public bodies.

Key Workers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether any of her staff are classed as key workers for the purposes of the low-cost home ownership or shared ownership schemes.

Vera Baird: Civil servants employed within the Department for Constitutional Affairs are not classed as key workers for the purpose of the low-cost home ownership and shared ownership schemes.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Prime Minister's Office has spent on organising and hosting conferences in the last 12 months.

Patrick McFadden: The Prime Minister's Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office. Information is provided for the whole of the Cabinet Office.
	The Cabinet Office does not separately record on the Department's accounting system expenditure spent on organising and hosting conferences. This information is therefore available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Prime Minister's Office has spent on taxis in the last 12 months.

Patrick McFadden: The Prime Minister's Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	Information for the Cabinet Office is not collected in the format requested. To provide a breakdown would incur disproportionate costs.
	All official travel in the Department is undertaken strictly in accordance with the rules contained in the Cabinet Office Management Code. All ministerial travel-related costs are undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library for the reference of Members.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Agency Staff

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what average hourly rate her Department paid to employment agencies for agency staff in each year since 1999, broken down by agency.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) uses various agencies under the national framework for temporary staff. Most of these are for the supply of Administrative Officer (grade A2) staff in Central London. Rates vary according to the length of assignment and skill-set required. Information dating back to 1999 is not held centrally. However, the following table provides information from 1 April 2004 on the hourly rates paid to agencies used by the FCO where applicable.
	
		
			  Agency  2006-07  2005-06  2004-05 
			   
			  Top three
			 The Eclipse Organisation 13.90 13.90 12.48 
			 Manpower 11.82 11.82 11.56 
			 Select Appointments plc 15.49 15.49 n/a 
			 Average 13.74 13.74 n/a 
			 
			  Others used by FCO
			 Adecco UK Ltd 17.50 n/a n/a 
			 Hays 16.83 16.83 16.46 
			 Kelly 14.90 14.90 n/a 
			 Average of above 16.41 n/a n/a 
			 
			 Average of all 15.07 n/a n/a

Burma

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on protecting human rights in Burma.

Kim Howells: Burma is identified as a country of concern in our 2006 Annual Report on Human Rights. The Government's policy is to promote full respect for human rights in Burma encouraging the rule of law, democracy and good governance, and the freedom of association and speech in accordance with international human rights law.
	We have been at the forefront of international efforts over many years to bring pressure to bear on the military regime to re-establish democracy and to respect human rights. We take every opportunity to raise human rights issues with the regime and remind them of their obligations to adhere to international human rights law. Our embassy in Rangoon also delivers capacity-building assistance in support of these objectives.
	The UK works closely with the EU and other international partners, including the UN and the Association of South East Asian Nations, to promote human rights in Burma, and fully supports the efforts of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Professor Sergio Pinheiro.
	We fully support all action in the UN, including in the Security Council, which helps to promote reform and positive change in Burma and have supported the US proposal for a UN Security Council Resolution.

Correspondence

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Bradford North dated 4 September on serious malpractice at Islamabad.

Kim Howells: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, replied to my hon. Friend on 23 October.

Departmental Staff

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether her Department recognises the International GCSE as an acceptable substitute for a GCSE for the purposes of recruitment.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office recognises all international qualifications that are equal to the published minimum requirements for recruitment. This includes accepting the International GCSE as a substitute for the standard GCSE qualification.

Departmental Travel

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the opportunities to reduce carbon emissions from air travel undertaken by Ministers and officials of her Department by greater use of video-conferencing for meetings involving international participation.

Geoff Hoon: We are currently examining the feasibility of expanding significantly our video conference facilities. Environmental issues will be given full consideration. Staff are already encouraged to consider video-conferencing as an alternative to air travel: usage in our current facilities has increased at approximately 75 per cent. year on year.

Diplomatic Relations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent diplomatic contact the UK Government have had with the Governments of  (a) the Cook Islands,  (b) Niue,  (c) Tokelau,  (d) the Coral Sea Islands,  (e) the Heard and MacDonald Islands,  (f) the Cocos Islands,  (g) Christmas Island and  (h) the Ashmore and Cartier Islands.

Ian McCartney: The Government normally has diplomatic contacts with the Australian and New Zealand Governments in respect of the territories concerned.
	Our high commission in Canberra has had no recent contact with the Government of Australia with regards to the Australian dependent territories of the Coral Sea Islands, the Heard and MacDonald Islands, the Cocos Islands, Christmas Island and the Ashmore and Cartier Islands. Our high commission in Wellington has recently had contact with the high commissioner of Niue, the New Zealand administrator for Tokelau and with the high commissioner of the Cook Islands and members of the Cook Islands Government.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the implementation of the United Nations arms embargo on militia groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) long and porous borders make full enforcement of the arms embargo very difficult But it has contributed to the containment of militia groups by preventing their regional backers from openly supplying them with weapons.
	The embargo, together with the threat of the UN's targeted sanctions, has also helped persuade some leaders of militia groups to turn themselves in, or to sign agreements with the Government of the DRC. Other instruments of pressure such as the UN Mission in the DRC have of course also contributed.

East Africa

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the security situation on the Eritrea-Ethiopia border.

Margaret Beckett: We are deeply concerned over reports that Eritrean Defence forces have moved troops and tanks into the Temporary Security Zone contrary to the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities of 18 June 2000. Together with our Security Council partners, we have urged Eritrea to withdraw immediately its troops from the Temporary Security Zone and to extend its full and unconditional cooperation to the UN Mission in Eritrea and Ethiopia, particularly to maintain the ceasefire arrangements in place. We join Security Council partners in calling on both parties to show maximum restraint and to refrain from any threat or use of force against each other. The UK remains committed to the full and expeditious implementation of the Algiers Agreements and implementation of the final and binding decision of the Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission.

European Border Agency

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she plans to increase the UK's contribution to the European Border Agency.

Liam Byrne: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK contributes assets to European Border Agency (Frontex) operations on a case-by-case basis. The Frontex Management Board is currently considering its work plan and budget for 2007. Once it is finalised, we will consider the added value that UK participation could bring to planned operations and their value to the UK. We will then discuss and agree with Frontex appropriate financial and operational contributions.

Former Yugoslavia

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of progress in the hunt for Radovan Karadzic and General Ratko Mladic; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The UK remains a firm supporter of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The chief responsibility for the location and transfer of the remaining ICTY indictees, including Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, rests with the Governments of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We note the most recent assessment by the ICTY Chief Prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, relating to Serbia, delivered on 16 October, which stated that there remain grave deficiencies in Serbia's efforts, both at operational and political levels. We understand the Chief Prosecutor also feels that the authorities of the Republika Srpska within Bosnia and Herzegovina should be doing more to co-operate with the ICTY. We urge all the countries of the region to co-operate fully with the ICTY.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the Cervantes Institute was included in discussions during the tripartite talks in Spain and Gibraltar.

Geoff Hoon: The trilateral forum has an open agenda. All sides are therefore free to raise any issue they wish. Spain chose to raise the establishment of a branch of the Cervantes Institute in Gibraltar. As this was acceptable to the Gibraltar and UK sides, it was agreed.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why flights from Gibraltar to Spanish airports are deemed under the Tripartite Agreement to be internal flights.

Geoff Hoon: Under the Tripartite Agreement people flying from Gibraltar to Spain are not deemed as being on an internal flight. Passengers from Gibraltar, which is outside of the Schengen area, flying to a Spanish airport (i.e. inside the Schengen area) will be given advance Schengen clearance before boarding their aircraft. Passengers accessing the terminal from north of the frontier, i.e. from inside the Schengen area will be considered as transit passengers on the basis of an administrative waiver by the Gibraltar authorities of controls.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which information technology projects are being undertaken by  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies; what the (i) start date, (ii) original planned completion date, (iii) expected completion date, (iv) originally planned costs and (v) estimated costs are of each; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has currently a very wide range of IT enabled projects, the scale cost, time scales and complexity of these projects vary enormously. However those projects and groups of projects marshalled together around a significant business change cost and complexity are defined as Programmes. The information requested by the hon. Member is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Current information technology projects  2 million 
			   Start date  Original planned completion date  Expected completion date  Originally planned costs (million)  Estimated costs (million) 
			  FCO 
			 Future Firecrest (AIM) February 2005 February 2012 February 2012 332.0 347 1 
			 FCONet 3 March 2006 June 2007 October 2007 3.5 3.5 
			 EDRM (eRccords/iRecords) September 2004 March 2010 March 2010 26.5 24.7 
			 FCO Web Platform July 2005 November 2008 November 2008 13.5 13.5 
			 Global Collaboration October 2005 March 2008 March 2008 3.6 36 
			 Prism(1) January 2002 January 2009 January 2010 81.9 99.9 
			 FTN(FCO Telecommunications Network) May 2000 May 20 10 May 20 10 180.0 240.0 
			 UKvisas Biometrics May 2005 December 2007 December 2007 101.5 121.7 
			 Biometric Passports Programme (BRIT) May 2004 October 2006 October 2006 4.0 4.0 
			 Secondary Biometrics (yet to be scoped and fully costed) October 2006 October 2010 (2) (2) (2) 
			   
			  Agencies (FCO Services , Wilton Park) 
			 None  
			 (1) Implementation of the Prism system was completed in May 2006, two months later than originally planned, and the managed service contract with the contractor to run the system was extended from 2009 to 20 10. (2) To be determined.

North Korea

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely effect of further sanctions against North Korea on levels of poverty.

Ian McCartney: The sanctions imposed by UN Security Council resolution 1718 (2006) which was adopted unanimously on 14 October, are aimed at bringing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) into compliance with the demands set out clearly in that resolution. They are targeted at specific areas such as the DPRK's nuclear and ballistic-missile programmes and not at ordinary citizens. We do not expect them to have any impact upon the level of poverty among the general population.

Overseas Territories (Governors)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether formal guidance is given to governors of the overseas territories for the purposes of engagement with local press and media.

Geoff Hoon: No formal guidance is given to governors of overseas territories for the purposes of engagement with local press and media. Governors are expected to engage with the local press and media on local issues as a matter of course and they would normally only consult the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on matters of wider interest.

Overseas Territories (Governors)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there is a requirement for governors of overseas territories to request approval before engaging with local press and media.

Geoff Hoon: There is no requirement for governors of overseas territories to request approval before engaging with the local press on local issues, but they would normally consult the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on matters with wider interest and those relating to international affairs.

Private Finance Initiative

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent by her Department on Private Finance Initiative projects postponed pending further consideration or stopped in the last 12 months.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has no Private Finance Initiative projects that have either been postponed pending further consideration or stopped in the last 12 months. The FCO has therefore incurred no expenditure on such projects.

Rendition

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she supports the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe's proposals to develop standards aimed at preventing  (a) secret detention,  (b) enforced disappearances and  (c) rendition; and when she expects the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to discuss the issue next.

Geoff Hoon: The Government have a duty to protect the United Kingdom from international terrorism. In this, as in other areas, the Government are fully committed to the protection of human rights. Measures taken to counter terrorism must be legal and proportionate
	The UK co-operated fully with the Secretary-General's requests for information under Article 52 of the European Convention of Human Rights earlier this year on rendition and with the inquiry held by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The Secretary-General has proposed three new legal instruments concerning the regulation of the security services, civil and state aircraft, and state immunity. The Government have significant reservations about the proposals tabled by the Secretary-General. No date has yet been set for a meeting of the Committee of Ministers on the proposals.

Somalia

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received regarding recent clashes between rival militia groups in Somalia; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We are concerned about reports that forces of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) continue to pursue armed conflict in Somalia. We urge all parties, in Somalia and across the region, to commit to dialogue and reject confrontation. We also urge the UIC and the Transitional Federal government to remain committed to the agreement reached in Khartoum earlier this year. Along with our international partners, we believe that the Transitional Federal Charter and the institutions created under it are the only existing mechanisms for restoring democratic governance in Somalia.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by her Department to meet the recommendations made by the International Crisis Group in its report Getting the UN into Darfur  (a) to apply targeted sanctions to National Congress Party (NCP),  (b) to authorise a forensic accounting firm to investigate the offshore accounts and assets of the NCP and their affiliated businesses,  (c) to consider sanctions against the petroleum sector in Sudan and  (d) to begin planning to enforce a no-fly zone over Darfur.

Kim Howells: We welcome the publication of the International Crisis Group report. It is a constructive input into international efforts to solve the crisis in Darfur.
	The UK believes that this appalling conflict is best addressed through sustained international pressure, including sanctions where appropriate. We fully back the UN sanctions currently in forcearms embargo on the Darfur region, travel ban and assets freeze against named individuals. All countries are required to implement the sanctions, including ensuring that financial institutions freeze any assets of listed individuals. We also strongly supported UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1591 which established a panel of experts to review the Darfur situation and submit recommendations on further sanctions to the Sanctions Committee. The panel reported at the end of September. We are considering with our UN Security Council partners whether further sanctions on any of the parties to the conflict will help solve it. Our priority is to press all parties to implement the Darfur Peace Agreement. A UN peacekeeping force, as foreseen in UNSCR 1706, is best placed to prevent further conflict. We are working at the UN to establish this force. We are, with our partners, pressing the government of Sudan to agree to it. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development conveyed this message directly to President Bashir in Khartoum on 16 October.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will assess the military situation in Darfur.

Kim Howells: The military situation in Darfur remains critical. There has been renewed fighting between Sudanese Government forces and the non-signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) since late August, in contravention of UN Security Council resolution 1591. This fighting has had a disastrous impact on delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance. Over 50,000 people have been displaced since the fighting began. Some 1.9 million people are displaced in Darfur and 3.6 million need assistance to meet their basic needs. There has been a major increase in rape and gender-based violence. Many humanitarian organisations are considering pulling out altogether because of the security risk. Cross-border attacks from Darfur into Eastern Chad are also continuing, with Eastern Chad now host to some 200,000 refugees from Darfur. The UK utterly condemns this fighting and stresses urgently the need for all parties to end military attacks.
	A lasting solution to the Darfur conflict requires the end of military operations, the resumption of political dialogue in order to fully implement the DPA, and the deployment of a UN force. In co-ordination with UN, EU, African Union, Arab League and other partners the UK is working to achieve these aims. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development set out our objectives directly to President Bashir during his visit to Sudan on 16 October.

Tibet

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has received on the recent killings of Tibetan refugees by Chinese soldiers; and what representations she has made to the UN High Commission for Refugees on this matter.

Ian McCartney: To date, we have received a small number of letters from members of the public, including one from The Office of Tibet, asking us to raise the incident with the Chinese authorities. While we have not made representations to the UN High Commissioner on Refugees on this matter, we are working both bilaterally and with the EU to seek an urgent and transparent investigation by the Chinese government. The EU raised the incident with the Chinese government at the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, last week.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Ministerial Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality on how many occasions she has visited  (a) Scotland,  (b) Wales and  (c) Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

Meg Munn: In the last 12 months, as Deputy Minister for Women and Equality, I have made one visit to Scotland and one visit to Wales. All ministerial visits are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of households in Great Britain has claimed some form of state benefit in the last 12 months.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Benefits

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many European Economic Area nationals resident in the UK received jobseeker's allowance for  (a) less than three months,  (b) between three and six months and  (c) longer than six months between 2000 and 2005;
	(2)  how many nationals of countries in the European Economic Area have made a claim for  (a) pension credit,  (b) jobseeker's allowance and  (c) income support in each year since 2000; and how many were awarded each benefit in each year.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Carers

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what plans he has to increase the financial support available to carers;
	(2)  if he will take steps to remove the gainfully employed rule preventing carers from earning more than 84 per week while claiming carer's allowance of 46.95 per week.

Anne McGuire: Depending on their personal circumstances, carers have access to the full range of social security benefits. Those who are not gainfully employed and provide regular and substantial care of at least 35 hours a week for a severely disabled person receiving attendance allowance or the equivalent rates of the disability living allowance care component or constant attendance allowance can be entitled to carer's allowance. If they have a low income, they can also be entitled to the carer premium in the income-related benefits or the carer's additional amount in pension credit.
	The effect of the carer's allowance earnings limit is that carers are treated as gainfully employed only where their earnings, net of income tax, national insurance contributions, half of any contributions towards an occupational or personal pension and allowances for the cost of care for a child or the disabled person while the carer is at work, are more than the national insurance lower earnings limit. This means that it is possible for a carer to have gross earnings well in excess of the earnings limit and still be eligible for carer's allowance. Together with carer's allowance, the carer premium and carer's additional amount, the earnings limit is increased each year to take account of movements in prices.
	We have no plans to change these arrangements.

Disability Living Allowance

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce a technology component to the disability living allowance to contribute towards the cost of buying special equipment relating to specific disabilities.

Anne McGuire: No. Disability living allowance provides a non-contributory, non-income-related and tax-free contribution towards the disability-related extra costs of severely disabled people. Entitlement is based on the need for personal care and/or walking difficulties because people with those needs and/or difficulties are most likely to have disability-related extra costs. The amounts paid are not based on the costs of specific items and recipients are free to spend the benefit according to their own priorities and requirementsincluding helping to pay for or maintain special equipment.

MED 5 Sickness Certificate

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason the validity of a MED 5 sickness certificate is limited to a year for people who are eligible for it due to learning disabilities.

Anne McGuire: There are no different rules relating to the validity of medical certificates that apply solely to people with learning disabilities.
	The MED 5 certificate is a 'special statement' given by a doctor, where they have not seen their patient, and based on the report of another doctor, for example a hospital doctor. The rules governing the provision of a MED 5 certificate do not allow it to be issued for a period of more than one month.
	However, a MED 3 certificate, the 'usual statement' can be given for longer periods; after the first six months, this includes 'until further notice'.

Personal Debt

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of people  (a) declaring bankruptcy and  (b) entering individual voluntary agreements as a result of delays in receiving benefits; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
	The Insolvency Service publish quarterly statistics of bankruptcy orders and IVAs, available here: http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/insolv.htm. These statistics are not currently available broken down into the main reasons leading to the insolvency. Bankruptcy Orders (only) will be analysed by broad causes of failure for new cases from October 2006, but these will not be detailed enough to identify delays in receiving benefit separately within the broader category of loss/significant reduction of income.
	There is currently no such information available centrally for individual voluntary arrangements.

Right to Work

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he intends to bring forward amendments to regulation 9 of the Social Security (Crediting and Treatment of Contributions and National Insurance Numbers) Regulations 2001 to make explicit the evidence which must be produced to demonstrate that the right to work condition has been satisfied.

James Plaskitt: A right to work condition has already been introduced into the Jobcentre Plus national insurance number allocation and decision making process for employment-related applications. This condition was implemented in July, and guidance issued to all Jobcentre Plus staff detailing the evidence requirements needed to satisfy this condition.
	Changes to regulation 9 of the Social Security (Crediting and Treatment of Contributions and National Insurance Numbers) Regulations 2001 will be laid before Parliament in November 2006.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Citizenship Education

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to improve the teaching of citizenship in those schools where a weakness in such teaching has been identified.

Jim Knight: Schools are expected to address their weaknesses following self evaluation and Ofsted reports. To support this, we funded the production of a self evaluation tool for both primary and secondary schools. Additionally, 200 initial teacher training places in citizenship education are being made available each year and the DfES has published a CPD handbook and is funding 1200 citizenship continuing professional development (CPD) places over the next two years to enable citizenship teachers to broaden and deepen their subject knowledge. We continue to support the Association of Citizenship Teachers and work with a range of organisations to provide resources and support for teachers.

Citizenship Education

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many citizenship specialist trained teachers are employed in each of the local education authorities in England.

Jim Knight: Information on the number of citizenship specialist trained teachers in service is not available at local authority level.
	The following table provides the number of teachers teaching by subject, including citizenship, in maintained secondary schools and the highest post A-level qualification held in the subject taught. The information is from 2002, the latest available.
	
		
			  Teachers in Service: full-time teachers in maintained secondary schoolshighest post A-level qualifications( 1)  held in the subjects they teach( 2)  to year groups 7-13, England 
			   Percentage  
			   Degree( 3)  BEd  PGCE  Cert Ed  Other Qual.  No Qual.  Total teachers (Thousand) 
			 Mathematics 42 ± 3 15 ± 2 9 ± 2 7 ± 1 2 ± 1 24 ± 2 28.2 
			 English 51 ± 3 15 ± 2 7 ± 1 6 ± 1 1 ± 1 20 ± 2 29.4 
			 
			 Combined/General Science 62 ± 3 12 ± 2 10 ± 2 4 ± 1 1 ± 1 11 ± 2 28.3 
			 Biology(4) 71 ± 5 7 ± 3 11 ± 4 3 ± 2 - ± 1 7 ± 3 5.6 
			 Chemistry(4) 72 ± 5 6 ± 3 12 ± 4 1 ± 1 1 ± 1 7 ± 3 5.2 
			 Physics(4) 63 ± 6 11 ± 4 15 ± 4 3 ± 2 - ± - 8 ± 3 4.7 
			 Other Sciences(4) 10 ± 6 4 ± 4 5 ± 4 - ± - - ± - 80 ± 8 1.6 
			 
			 French 54 ± 3 7 ± 2 10 ± 2 3 ± 1 2 ± 1 23 ± 3 16.0 
			 German 47 ± 5 6 ± 3 13 ± 4 1 ± 1 2 ± 1 30 ± 5 6.9 
			 Spanish 37 ± 7 8 ± 4 19 ± 6 - ± - 3 ± 2 33 ± 7 3.6 
			 Other Modern Languages 18 ± 8 - ± - 9 ± 7 - ± - 3 ± 4 71 ± 10 1.4 
			 
			 Design and Technology(5) 26 ± 3 20 ± 3 7 ± 2 21 ± 3 2 ± 1 24 ± 3 20.9 
			 ICT(5, 6) 13 ± 2 6 ± 1 8 ± 2 2 ± 1 3 ± 1 69 ± 3 18.9 
			 Other/Combined Technology(5) 30 ± 1 0 13 ± 8 16 ± 7 18 ± 9 2 ± 3 20 ± 9 1.6 
			 
			 Business Studies 30 ± 5 11 ± 4 9 ± 3 4 ± 2 3 ± 2 43 ± 5 6.5 
			 Classics 33 ± 7 - ± - 2 ± 4 2 ± - - ± - 63 ± 7 1.0 
			 History 57 ± 4 9 ± 2 6 ± 2 6 ± 2 - ± - 23 ± 3 13.7 
			 Religious Education 22 ± 3 8 ± 2 8 ± 2 4 ± 1 2 ± 1 57 ± 4 14.2 
			 Geography 53 ± 4 9 ± 2 6 ± 2 5 ± 2 1 ± 1 25 ± 3 13.7 
			 Other Social Studies 35 ± 5 6 ± 3 2 ± 2 2 ± 1 - ± 1 54 ± 6 4.9 
			 Combined Arts/Humanities/Social Studies 5 ± 3 4 ± 2 7 ± 3 1 ± 1 1 ± 1 83 ± 5 5.3 
			 
			 Music 59 ± 5 15 ± 4 5 ± 2 6 ± 3 2 ± 2 13 ± 4 6.3 
			 Drama 25 ± 4 10 ± 3 12 ± 3 6 ± 2 2 ± 1 45 ± 5 8.1 
			 Art and Design 54 ± 4 10 ± 3 7 ± 2 9 ± 3 1 ± 1 20 ± 4 9.3 
			 Physical Education 25 ± 3 31 ± 3 6 ± 2 13 ± 2 2 ± 1 22 ± 2 21.4 
			 Careers Education 2 ± 2 1 ± 2 3 ± 3 4 ± 4 3 ± 4 87 ± 7 1.5 
			 PSHE(6) 1 ± - 1 ± - 2 ± 1 1 ± - - ± - 95 ± 1 61.4 
			 General Studies 1 ± 1 2 ± 1 1 ± 1 - ± 1 - ± - 95 ± 2 7.1 
			 Citizenship 2 ± 1 1 ± 1 2 ± 1 - ± 1 - ± - 94 ± 2 9.0 
			 Other   32.8 
			 
			 Total(2, 7) 33 ± - 10 ± - 7 ± - 5 ± - 1 ± - 44 ± - 388.4 
			 '-' = zero or less than 0.5.  (1) Where a teacher has more than one post A-level qualification in the same subject, the qualification level is determined by the highest level reading from left (Degree) to right (Other Qual.). For example, teachers shown under PGCE have a PGCE but not a degree or BEd in the subject, while those with a PGCE and a degree are shown only under Degree.  (2) Teachers are counted once against each subject which they are teaching.  (3) Includes higher degrees but excludes BEds.  (4) Teachers qualified in combined/general science are treated as qualified to teach biology, chemistry or physics. Teachers qualified in biology, chemistry or physics are treated as qualified to teach combined/general science.  (5) Teachers qualified in other/combined technology are treated as qualified to teach design and technology or information and communication technology. Teachers qualified in design and technology or information and communication technology are treated as qualified to teach other/combined technology.  (6) Information and Communication Technology is abbreviated as ICT and Personal Social and Health Education is abbreviated as PSHE.  (7) 'Other' not included in total percentages.   Source:  Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey 2002.

Citizenship Education

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will introduce a formal qualification in citizenship;
	(2)  whether he plans to extend the length of time secondary school pupils spend studying citizenship;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the effect of citizenship classes on tackling extremism.

Jim Knight: A short course GCSE in citizenship studies has been offered since 2003. This was developed to give pupils the opportunity to obtain a qualification recognizing their achievements at key stage 4. Over 54,000 candidates took the GCSE in 2006, an increase from 38,000 in 2005. It remains the fastest growing GCSE subject. Due to demand from schools we have developed subject criteria for both a full course GCSE and A level with a view to examination boards offering these qualifications.
	There is no specified amount of time schools must teach citizenship. Schools are free to teach the subject in the way which best suits their school and pupils' circumstances. We believe this flexibility is important in maintaining the ability of schools to provide delivery of citizenship tailored to the needs of their pupils.
	Education can help to break down class and social barriers and plays a critical role in promoting respect and understanding. One of the aims of citizenship education is to educate pupils about appropriate forms of political engagement, legal and human rights and responsibilities and to engage in debates about political, moral and social issues. Schools are also required to teach pupils about the importance of resolving conflict fairly.

Education Funding

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total recurrent funding per pupil was for each local education authority in each year between 1998-99 to 2006-07 in real terms, using 2006-07 as the base year.

Jim Knight: The available information has been placed in the House Library.

Faith Schools

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance his Department issues on selection in single faith schools.

Jim Knight: Guidance on school admissions for all maintained schools, including schools with a religious character, is contained in the school admissions code of practice published in 2003 as required under section 84 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
	Section 38 of the Education and Inspections Bill 2006 amends section 84 of the 1998 Act to enable the Secretary of State to issue a new school admissions code that relevant bodies will have to 'act in accordance' with. We are currently consulting on the draft school admissions code which, subject to parliamentary approval, will supersede the existing code of practice coming into force in February 2007.

Government Social Research Service

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of the Government Social Research Service in his Department in each of the last five years; how many projects have been completed by the service in that period; and how many people are employed in the Service in his Department.

Jim Knight: This information is not available in the form requested. There are currently 39 (full-time equivalent) members of the Government Social Research Service employed in the Department for Education and Skills. The annual salary cost of these staff is 1.43 million. In 2005 there were 48.4 full-time equivalent staff and their salary cost was 1.72 million.
	Research and analysis in the Department is conducted by multi-disciplinary teams. It is not possible, therefore, to say how many research projects were completed by social researchers alone as they often work jointly with economists, statisticians and operational researchers. The total number of research projects completed for the Department in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2001-02 119 
			 2002-03 142 
			 2003-04 143 
			 2004-05 253 
			 2005-06 103

Graduate Employment

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Department for Work and Pensions on the employment prospects of graduates.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 October 2006
	There have been no discussions recently. But we continue to encourage and support developments in the HE sector that help UK graduates compete effectively in the domestic and global employment market.
	Bodies like the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) and Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) help to articulate the demands of very diverse groups of employers, and the sector skills councils are providing a detailed picture of the needs within particular sectors of the economy.
	In response, the HE sector continues to find practical ways to respond to the diversity of employers' needs. For example, the Higher Education Academy and its subject centres have, with CIHE's help, compiled Student Employability Profiles that map courses against the competencies and attributes graduate employers value when recruiting. Within subject centres there is active sharing of good practice in developing employability skills within degrees and other HE provision. Individual HE institutions are taking forward a range of measures designed to improve graduates employability, for example by introducing work placements, personal development planning or helping students to develop critical and interpersonal skills. In some cases employers are directly involved in the design and delivery of courses to ensure they will equip students with the necessary skills (for instance, the Ernst and Young degree in accounting, auditing and finance delivered in partnership with the Lancaster University Management School and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland).

Head Teachers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department is taking to tackle shortages of head teachers in secondary schools.

Jim Knight: Since 1997, secondary head teacher vacancies have remained low and fairly stable0.9 per cent. (30 posts) in January 2006. However, we are aware that some schools find it more difficult than others to recruit head teachers, and that demographic issues may make it harder in future. Through our work with the National College for School Leadership and other steps, such as the PriceWaterhouseCoopers study into school leadership, we are working to address this.

Heartlands Development, Haringey

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of  (a) hiring the Decorium centre in Wood Green and  (b) providing refreshments for the Department's public meeting on 3 October on sponsorship of the new school to be built on the Heartlands development in Haringey.

Parmjit Dhanda: Haringey local authority published their notice inviting proposals from potential promoters for the new secondary school on the Heartlands development on 4 September. The seminar hosted by the Office of Public Management at the Decorium centre on 3 October was an open meeting intended to provide information about Haringey's plans for the new school and the procedure for submitting proposals.
	The cost of hiring the Decorium centre was 1,762.50. The cost of refreshments was 515.09. Both figures include value added tax.

Higher Education

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students enrolled in higher education courses in the Lancashire region in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: The latest available figures are shown in the following table. Figures for 2005/06 will be available in January 2007.
	
		
			  Number of students ( 1)  on higher education courses in the Lancashire Region ( 2)  in each of the last five years 
			  Academic year  Number of students in Lancashire region 
			 2000/01 61,115 
			 2001/02 69,005 
			 2002/03 73,290 
			 2003/04 78,640 
			 2004/05 78,510 
			 (1) Figures cover all students from the UK and overseas on full-time and part-time, postgraduate and undergraduate courses. (2) Includes Edge Hill College of HE, St. Martin's College, University of Bolton, University of Central Lancashire and University of Lancaster.  Note: Figures are on a HESA Standard Registration Population basis. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.  Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record data.

Looked After Children

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will introduce national regulations on the process of placement and funding of educational support where a looked after child with additional educational needs is placed in another local authority area.

Parmjit Dhanda: All looked after children have a care plan which includes an education plan based on their assessed needs. Local authorities are required through statutory guidance to ensure that the identified educational needs of any child placed out-of-authority will be met effectively in the proposed placement before it is agreed. This process must involve statutory notification of, and discussion with, all relevant bodies where the child would be living.
	The proposals in the Green Paper Care Matters: Transforming the Lives of Children and Young People in Care include piloting budget holding by lead professionals to offer greater freedom to social workers in meeting the needs of looked after children. In particular, we propose to make available a personalised annual budget of around 500 for social workers to spend on each child in order to support their education. We also propose in a number of trailblazer authorities to pilot the introduction of a 'virtual head teacher' who will work with schools to raise standards for all looked after children being educated in a local authority area regardless of whether they are looked after by another authority.

Opinion Polling

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on what issues his Department has conducted opinion polling in the last 12 months; and what the cost of each poll was.

Phil Hope: The Department has undertaken two public opinion surveys within the last 12 months. The first surveyed 500 parents and 500 non-parents to measure their perceptions of education, skills and children's services. The survey ran over three wavesDecember 2005, March 2006 and June 2006 and each wave cost 17,023 excluding VAT. We will publish a summary of the survey results on the DfES website later this month.
	The second was a telephone poll conducted by MORI into the attitudes to fees in further education on behalf of the Department. The poll covered 2,000 members of the public in England and ran in September 2005. The cost of the MORI poll was 42,700 excluding VAT and the findings were published on the 11 November 2005.

Overseas Students

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of overseas students studying in England are from  (a) India,  (b) Pakistan,  (c) China,  (d) Japan,  (e) the United States and  (f) Europe.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is shown in the following table for 2004/05. Figures for 2005/06 will be available in January 2007.
	
		
			  Number and percentage of overseas higher education students( 1)  studying at higher education institutions in England 
			   Number of students  Percentage of students 
			 India 13,555 5.1 
			 Pakistan 5,965 2.2 
			 China 45,740 17.0 
			 Japan 5,610 2.1 
			 United States 11,065 4.1 
			 Europe(2) 90,140 33.6 
			 Other 96,220 35.9 
			 Total overseas 268,300 100.0 
			 (1) Figures cover postgraduate and undergraduate students on full-time and part-time courses. They cover overseas students who study for the whole of their course in England. They exclude overseas students who study part of their course (e.g. one term) in England as part of an exchange scheme. In 2004/05 there were a total of 26,000 of these students.  (2) Includes students from the EU.   Notes:  1. Figures are based on the HESA Standard Registration Population.  2. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5, so components may not sum to totals.   Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

Overseas Students

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students enrolled on higher education courses in the north-east region in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is shown in the following table for 2000/01 to 2004/05. Figures for 2005/06 will be available in January 2007.
	
		
			  Number of students ( 1)  enrolled on higher education courses at higher education institutions in the north-east government office region 
			  Academic year  Number of students in north-east GO region 
			 2000/01 82,040 
			 2001/02 87,175 
			 2002/03 94,400 
			 2003/04 98,575 
			 2004/05 100,085 
			 (1) Figures cover postgraduate and undergraduate students from the UK and overseas on full-time and part-time courses.  Note: Figures are on a HESA Standard Registration Population basis. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.  Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record data.

Post-16 Education

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department makes of  (a) the demographics of an area and  (b) existing supply in determining the need for post-16 places when establishing academies.

Jim Knight: The Department takes into account the levels of socio-economic disadvantage in the area where the school to be replaced with an academy is located. These levels are considered both for the wards from which that school's pupils come, and for the wards in direct proximity to the school. The measures of socio-economic disadvantage which the Department uses are based on income, employment, health, education, housing, child poverty and access to services.
	The Department also takes into account the existing supply of post-16 places in the local area. Every academy proposal which is submitted to the Department must be endorsed by the local learning and skills council. Post-16 places at academies also form part of local authority-wide plans for pupil places. The local authority must provide justification for the number of pupil places it proposes for an academy, specifically including the number of post-16 places it plans to offer.

Primary Education

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent on primary education in each of the last 20 years; and what the planned expenditure is in each of the next five years.

Jim Knight: The available information is contained within the following table. The Department does not produce precise forecasts of future expenditure and we are therefore unable to provide the planned spend figures requested beyond 2005-06.
	
		
			  Education expenditure( 1,2)  by central and local government( 3)  within primary schools in real terms( 4)  in England 1989-90 to 2005-06, excluding Ofsted expenditure 
			  Schools currentprimary   million 
			 1989-90 outturn 6,732 
			 1990-91 outturn 6,759 
			 1991-92 outturn 7,160 
			 1992-93 outturn 7,510 
			 1993-94 outturn 7,593 
			 1994-95 outturn 7,865 
			 1995-96 outturn 7,864 
			 1996-97 outturn 7,890 
			 1997-98 outturn 7,897 
			 1998-99 outturn 8,011 
			   
			 1999-2000 outturn 8,322 
			 2000-01 outturn 9,020 
			   
			 2001-02 outturn 9,741 
			 2002-03 outturn 10,179 
			 2003-04 outturn 10,774 
			 2004-05 provisional outturn 10,901 
			 2005-06 estimated outturn 11,209 
			 (1) Figures within departmental expenditure limits (DEL). Excludes DfES administration costs and expenditure on other areas than education, for instance on children and families and on skills. Figures for 1998-99 onwards are resource-based. Central Government figures for 1995-96 to 1997-98 are cash-based.  (2) Differences between the totals above and the figures for primary education spending in HM Treasury's PESA report are the result of (a) data coverage: the exclusion of AME items in the table, (b) definitional differences: departmental administration costs and Ofsted spending on education are both classified as education spending under UN Classification of Functions of Government (COFOG) international definitionsthe table excludes these, (c) reclassifications made since Budget 2006 of Connexions spending to social protection and adult education spend to training in line with UN COFOG definitions. The next scheduled HMT National Statistics release in July will update education spending to take account of these reclassifications, (d) further minor data coverage and timing differences.  (3) The recurrent local authority figures in this table are drawn from the local authority expenditure table (table 8.3 of the 2006 departmental report). The blank rows denote the changes from the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions education revenue outturn return (the 'RO1') to section 52 outturn statements in 1999-2000 and arising from the review of the section 52 categories in 2002-03 following the introduction of consistent financial reporting to schools.   Notes:  1. All figures have been converted to 2005-06 price levels using 27 September 2006 gross domestic product (GDP) deflators.  2. Includes expenditure on county, voluntary aided, special agreement, grant-maintained schools, city technology colleges and other specialist schools. Central Government funding on grant-maintained schools has been apportioned to under-fives, primary and secondary sectors using pupil numbers.  3. Figures from 2003-04 onwards reflect the transfer of responsibility from the Department to LEAs of costs relating to teachers' pensions.  4. We only forecast expenditure figures for one year on from the outturn statements.   Sources:  1997-98 to 2005-06 from the Education Select Committee table 1995-96 to 1996-97 from the November 2005 Education Bulletin 1993-94 to 1994-95 from the November 2004 Bulletin 1989-90 to 1992-93 from the departmental reports.

Pupil Funding

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average funding per pupil was in real terms for  (a) each local education authority and  (b) constituency in each of the last 20 years.

Jim Knight: Figures are not available at constituency level, or for years prior to 1997-98 due to local government reorganisation.
	The available information has been placed in the House Library.

School Buildings

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what requirements for low and zero carbon buildings are made by the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Jim Knight: Energy targets for school projects within BSF are set within part L of the building regulations which require that buildings that are constructed to today's standards are 40 per cent. more energy efficient (i.e. emit 40 per cent. less carbon through energy use) than those built five years ago.
	Part L building regulations also require that renewable energy sources and other low carbon technologies are considered, and implemented where technically, practically and economically feasible. The regulations set an overall target for carbon emissions which implies that 10 per cent. of a building's energy demand is met using renewable energy technologieswhere renewable energy technologies are not adopted then the overall carbon reduction target must be met in other ways (e.g. through improved energy efficiency). Many planning authorities have also introduced a specific requirement for renewable energy which is typically set at 10 per cent. of predicted energy demand, and new schools must satisfy these local planning requirements.

School Grounds

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of schools whose land includes at least the area designated as  (a) sport pitches,  (b) soft informal and social,  (c) games courts (hard surfaced),  (d) hard informal and social and  (e) habitat area recommended by the briefing framework for secondary school projects.

Jim Knight: Data on areas of schools sport pitches, soft informal and social areas, games courts, hard informal and social areas and habitat areas are not held by the Department.

School Staff

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) teachers and  (b) teaching assistants were employed in the East Midlands in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) each of the preceding five years.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers and teaching assistants employed in the maintained sector in the east midlands in each January from 2001 to 2006.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent number of teachers and teaching assistants employed in maintained schools in the East Midlands in each January from 2001 to 2006 
			   Teachers( 1)  Teaching Assistants( 2) 
			 2001 34,500 8,200 
			 2002 34,900 9,300 
			 2003 35,700 10,100 
			 2004 36,200 10,800 
			 2005 36,400 12,600 
			 2006 36,900 13,500 
			  Note:  Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.   Sources:(  1) DfES annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, (618g).  (2) Annual School Census.

Schools Budget

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the schools budget of each local authority was for 2005-06; and what proportion was delegated to schools in each authority.

Jim Knight: The available information is contained within the following table:
	
		
			  Total schools budget( 1,3)  and total money delegated to schools( 2,3)  by local authorities during 2005-06 
			of which, total amount delegated to schools( 2,3,4) 
			  Local authority  Total schools budget( 1,3,4)  ()  ()  Percentage of schools budget 
			 
			 England 30,656,061,000 27,472,094,000 89.6 
			 
			 Barking and Dagenham 135,594,000 120,253,000 88.7 
			 Barnet 204,847,000 183,122,000 89.4 
			 Barnsley 128,920,000 116,514,000 90.4 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 97,162,000 88,831,000 91.4 
			 Bedfordshire 239,259,000 218,881,000 91.5 
			 Bexley 158,875,000 140,390,000 88.4 
			 Birmingham 781,105,000 731,687,000 93.7 
			 Blackburn and Darwen 106,051,000 95,340,000 89.9 
			 Blackpool 83,555,000 73,140,000 87.5 
			 Bolton 178,264,000 161,575,000 90.6 
			 Bournemouth 78,850,000 68,722,000 87.2 
			 Bracknell Forest 58,747,000 51,028,000 86.9 
			 Bradford 351,171,000 324,359,000 92.4 
			 Brent 185,739,000 172,805,000 93.0 
			 Brighton and Hove 121,227,000 106,366,000 87.7 
			 Bromley 189,354,000 165,664,000 87.5 
			 Buckinghamshire 298,564,000 259,200,000 86.8 
			 Bury 106,513,000 92,978,000 87.3 
			 Calderdale 134,583,000 122,810,000 91.3 
			 Cambridgeshire 289,963,000 258,613,000 89.2 
			 Camden 134,524,000 109,961,000 81.7 
			 Cheshire 397,681,000 351,522,000 88.4 
			 City of Bristol 206,665,000 183,877,000 89.0 
			 City of Kingston-Upon-Hull 160,966,000 144,936,000 90.0 
			 City of London 1,884,000 1,187,000 63.0 
			 Cornwall 284,099,000 249,220,000 87.7 
			 Coventry 202,808,000 179,307,000 88.4 
			 Croydon 203,833,000 178,246,000 87.4 
			 Cumbria 294,393,000 269,498,000 91.5 
			 Darlington 61,732,000 54,208,000 87.8 
			 Derby 151,502,000 137,346,000 90.7 
			 Derbyshire 430,838,000 388,890,000 90.3 
			 Devon 356,955,000 324,528,000 90.9 
			 Doncaster 199,125,000 174,822,000 87.8 
			 Dorset 217,499,000 188,217,000 86.5 
			 Dudley 192,206,000 172,793,000 89.9 
			 Durham 300,902,000 279,193,000 92.8 
			 Ealing 192,196,000 171,742,000 89.4 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 184,805,000 169,090,000 91.5 
			 East Sussex 265,879,000 236,048,000 88.8 
			 Enfield 219,606,000 197,512,000 89.9 
			 Essex 784,950,000 706,182,000 90.0 
			 Gateshead 116,486,000 103,420,000 88.8 
			 Gloucestershire 331,856,000 294,788,000 88.8 
			 Greenwich 183,986,000 169,900,000 92.3 
			 Hackney 160,634,000 130,010,000 80.9 
			 Halton 83,143,000 72,091,000 86.7 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 98,548,000 83,791,000 85.0 
			 Hampshire 656,870,000 592,110,000 90.1 
			 Haringey 166,508,000 147,883,000 88.8 
			 Harrow 121,644,000 109,624,000 90.1 
			 Hartlepool 64,175,000 56,824,000 88.5 
			 Havering 147,588,000 137,069,000 92.9 
			 Herefordshire 89,254,000 79,887,000 89.5 
			 Hertfordshire 671,604,000 610,502,000 90.9 
			 Hillingdon 175,259,000 160,320,000 91.5 
			 Hounslow 162,377,000 143,746,000 88.5 
			 Isle of Wight 79,572,000 68,914,000 86.6 
			 Isles of Scilly 2,074,000 1,802,000 86.9 
			 Islington 126,450,000 106,064,000 83.9 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 66,619,000 56,526,000 84.8 
			 Kent 855,237,000 775,470,000 90.7 
			 Kingston upon Thames 88,256,000 80,852,000 91.6 
			 Kirklees 262,729,000 229,892,000 87.5 
			 Knowsley 104,974,000 91,721,000 87.4 
			 Lambeth 162,220,000 140,043,000 86.3 
			 Lancashire 690,452,000 615,765,000 89.2 
			 Leeds 433,008,000 399,568,000 92.3 
			 Leicester 190,663,000 172,028,000 90.2 
			 Leicestershire 357,649,000 319,991,000 89.5 
			 Lewisham 182,394,000 155,623,000 85.3 
			 Lincolnshire 398,532,000 361,943,000 90.8 
			 Liverpool 324,858,000 287,827,000 88.6 
			 Luton 133,345,000 119,801,000 89.8 
			 Manchester 292,825,000 256,405,000 87.6 
			 Medway 179,821,000 163,077,000 90.7 
			 Merton 96,138,000 85,818,000 89.3 
			 Middlesbrough 84,252,000 74,356,000 88.3 
			 Milton Keynes 148,859,000 132,469,000 89.0 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 155,522,000 138,005,000 88.7 
			 Newham 246,976,000 213,545,000 86.5 
			 Norfolk 429,318,000 390,199,000 90.9 
			 North East Lincolnshire 104,139,000 90,895,000 87.3 
			 North Lincolnshire 93,181,000 83,823,000 90.0 
			 North Somerset 106,380,000 93,656,000 88.0 
			 North Tyneside 114,820,000 107,460,000 93.6 
			 North Yorkshire 332,187,000 302,003,000 90.9 
			 Northamptonshire 388,754,000 353,213,000 90.9 
			 Northumberland 194,570,000 172,398,000 88.6 
			 Nottingham City 166,738,000 152,814,000 91.6 
			 Nottinghamshire 440,555,000 413,184,000 93.8 
			 Oldham 161,821,000 143,988,000 89.0 
			 Oxfordshire 326,312,000 286,488,000 87.8 
			 Peterborough 119,059,000 106,282,000 89.3 
			 Plymouth 156,269,000 140,824,000 90.1 
			 Poole 71,463,000 62,833,000 87.9 
			 Portsmouth 99,921,000 90,553,000 90.6 
			 Reading 71,731,000 61,369,000 85.6 
			 Redbridge 179,021,000 164,926,000 92.1 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 91,532,000 79,658,000 87.0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 83,050,000 74,196,000 89.3 
			 Rochdale 144,548,000 128,782,000 89.1 
			 Rotherham 179,580,000 157,055,000 87.5 
			 Rutland 19,088,000 17,547,000 91.9 
			 Salford 138,864,000 120,209,000 86.6 
			 Sandwell 198,977,000 186,750,000 93.9 
			 Sefton 178,835,000 161,059,000 90.1 
			 Sheffield 330,389,000 264,369,000 80.0 
			 Shropshire 150,373,000 132,140,000 87.9 
			 Slough 85,942,000 79,335,000 92.3 
			 Solihull 128,569,000 115,110,000 89.5 
			 Somerset 266,777,000 240,085,000 90.0 
			 South Gloucestershire 144,641,000 130,010,000 89.9 
			 South Tyneside 97,680,000 88,141,000 90.2 
			 Southampton 121,106,000 107,319,000 88.6 
			 Southend 110,114,000 98,907,000 89.8 
			 Southwark 188,874,000 168,605,000 89.3 
			 St. Helens 111,445,000 100,362,000 90.1 
			 Staffordshire 474,444,000 427,530,000 90.1 
			 Stockport 152,249,000 131,534,000 86.4 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 118,976,000 106,132,000 89.2 
			 Stoke on Trent 147,705,000 132,477,000 89.7 
			 Suffolk 379,179,000 347,888,000 91.7 
			 Sunderland 179,353,000 162,915,000 90.8 
			 Surrey 540,703,000 476,322,000 88.1 
			 Sutton 127,452,000 113,939,000 89.4 
			 Swindon 107,242,000 95,260,000 88.8 
			 Tameside 139,499,000 121,485,000 87.1 
			 Telford and Wrekin 106,486,000 90,685,000 85.2 
			 Thurrock 91,955,000 82,529,000 89.7 
			 Torbay 74,872,000 66,849,000 89.3 
			 Tower Hamlets 226,646,000 207,203,000 91.4 
			 Trafford 135,832,000 117,371,000 86.4 
			 Wakefield 193,204,000 178,350,000 92.3 
			 Walsall 188,353,000 171,279,000 90.9 
			 Waltham Forest 163,831,000 150,511,000 91.9 
			 Wandsworth 144,088,000 137,000,000 95.1 
			 Warrington 115,900,000 103,093,000 88.9 
			 Warwickshire 288,267,000 249,669,000 86.6 
			 West Berkshire 98,650,000 89,327,000 90.5 
			 West Sussex 404,052,000 362,719,000 89.8 
			 Westminster 105,157,000 93,669,000 89.1 
			 Wigan 189,181,000 175,732,000 92.9 
			 Wiltshire 241,429,000 212,621,000 88.1 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 78,759,000 69,737,000 88.5 
			 Wirral 206,947,000 187,669,000 90.7 
			 Wokingham 89,541,000 80,027,000 89.4 
			 Wolverhampton 163,070,000 150,844,000 92.5 
			 Worcestershire 298,122,000 272,915,000 91.5 
			 York 91,548,000 80,196,000 87.6 
			 (1) Total schools budget is drawn from local authorities Section 52 Budget Statements (Table 1) submitted to the DfES. This is calculated as the gross elements of lines 1.0.1 to 1.1.2 and 1.6.1 to 1.6.5 plus the net elements of the remainder of the schools budget. (2) The total amount delegated to schools includes the individual schools budget for local authority maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools as well as any school standards grant, devolved standards fund, excellence in cities grant, devolved threshold and performance pay, transitional support grant and support for schools in financial difficulty devolved to those schools. (3) The figures above exclude any school standards grants for pupil referral units. (4) Cash figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000 and, therefore, may not sum due to rounding. Cash terms figures as reported by local authorities as at 19 October 2006.

Student Finance

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was to his Department of subsidising the interest rate on accumulated student debt for 2005-06; and what the Department's estimate is of any change in this annual cost as a result of the Higher Education Act 2004 and the deferral of variable tuition fees.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 October 2006
	The cost of subsidising the annual rate of interest on the stock of English and Welsh maintenance loans was 355 million in financial year 2005-06. This is the amount released from the interest subsidy provision as stated in the FY 05-06 departmental resource accounts. The calculation of annual cost is based on a number of variable factors, including the closing and average values of the loan stock, the cost of capital and interest added to the loans each year.
	Future cost estimates are calculated on a long-term basis over the lifetime of loans as part of the resource accounting and budgeting (RAB) charges, which take into account both interest subsidy and write offs. There are separate RAB charges for maintenance and fee loans. My written statement of 10 November 2005 provides future estimates of maintenance and fee loan RAB charge costs for accounting year 2006-07.

Student Finance

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students qualified for the full maintenance grant of 2,700 introduced in September.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 October 2006
	The new maintenance grant and the equivalent special support grant were introduced for new full-time English domiciled students who started their course in September 2006 or later. The grant is means-tested and my Department anticipates that around 30 per cent. of new full-time English domiciled students in 2006/07 will receive the full grant, while around 50 per cent. will receive either a full or partial grant.
	Figures on the distribution of the new maintenance grant will be published for the first time in the National Statistics Statistical First Release Student Support for Higher Education in England, academic year 2006/07 (Provisional) in November 2006.

Teachers

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers were employed in each  (a) local education authority and  (b) constituency in each of the last 20 years.

Jim Knight: The information requested has been placed in the House Library.

University Degree Courses

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students were enrolled on degree courses at universities in the north-west in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 October 2006
	The latest available information is shown in the table below for 2000-01 to 2004-05. Figures for 2005-06 will be available in January 2007.
	
		
			  Number of students ( 1)  enrolled on undergraduate higher education courses at higher education institutions in the north-west government office region 
			   Number of students in north-west GO region 
			  Academic year  First degree ( 2) Other undergraduate  Total undergraduate 
			 2000/01 114,635 46,740 161,380 
			 2001/02 119,510 49,300 168,810 
			 2002/03 125,580 50,155 175,735 
			 2003/04 130,250 55,360 185,615 
			 2004/05 132,310 54,455 186,765 
			 (1) Figures cover all undergraduate students from the UK and overseas on full-time and part-time courses. (2) Include students on foundation degrees, HMDs, HNCs and other undergraduate courses.  Note: Figures are on a HESA Standard Registration Population basis.  Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5, so components may not sum to totals.  Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record data.

Veterinary Studies

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people studied veterinary studies at university in each year since 2000.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 24 October 2006
	The latest information is given in the table. Figures for 2005-06 will be available in January 2007.
	
		
			  Higher Education Students( 1)  on Veterinary Science( 2)  Courses Higher Education Institutions in England 
			   Level of course 
			   Postgraduate  Undergraduate  Total 
			 2000-01 445 2,175 2,625 
			 2001-02 465 2,450 2,915 
			 2002-03(2) 450 2,455 2,905 
			 2003-04 500 2,315 2,815 
			 2004-05 580 2,525 3,105 
			 1 Covers UK domiciled and overseas students on full-time and part-time courses. 2 The methodology used to allocate students to subjects was changed in 2002-03, which means that the figures for this and later years are not directly comparable with those for earlier years. The main effect of the change in methodology was to increase the number of students who are allocated to particular named subjects, and reduce the number who are allocated to combined subjects courses.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Numbers have been rounded to the nearest five, so components may not sum to totals .

Violent Crime Reduction Bill

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects guidance regarding Clause 43 of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill to be produced; and whether such guidance will be produced by  (a) his Department and  (b) the Learning and Skills Council; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: Clause 43 (now clause 46) of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill is an enabling power that an FE institution may, or may not, choose to use. FE institutions (as independent organisations) are responsible for their own health and safety arrangements and it is for them to assess health and safety risks and implement the appropriate control measures. The Department has no plans to issue specific guidance to FE institutions.
	However, it will make available the guidance we produce for schools which FE institutions may find helpful. The LSC similarly has no plans to issue guidance but will continue to support colleagues in FE institutions.

Welsh Students (Further and Higher Education)

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students from  (a) Wrexham and  (b) Wales started courses in (i) further education colleges and (ii) universities in England in the last five years for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The following table shows numbers of students from Wales and from Wrexham in particular who enrolled in (i) further education colleges and (ii) universities in England. Figures for further education (FE) are only available for three years from 2002-03. FE learning is funded in England by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and statistics derive from the individual learner record (ILR). The FE ILR was collated for the first time in 2002-03 and comparable figures are only available from that point. Figures for higher education institutions are taken from data collected annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
	
		
			  Table 1: Enrolments at further education colleges and higher education institutions in England for students domiciled( 1)  in Wales and Wrexham parliamentary constituency 
			   Further education colleges  Higher education institutions( 2) 
			   Wales  Wrexham  Wales  Wrexham 
			 2004/05 8,525 420 32,900 1,005 
			 2003/04 8,375 400 33,150 1,010 
			 2002/03 7,550 375 32,305 975 
			 2001/02 n/a n/a 32,315 955 
			 2000/01 n/a n/a 31,830 910 
			 n/a = not available  (1) Figures for both FECs and HEIs are based on the permanent address prior to enrolment.  (2) Figures for HEIs may contain a small element of double counting. Some students enrolled at HEIs and who are on courses franchised to FECs are included in the HEI figures but may-also have been included in the FEC.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Ballpoint Pens

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1646W, on ballpoint pens, what use is being made of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister-branded pens; how much was spent between 2002 and the abolition of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on ODPM branded products and promotional gifts; and what types of goods were purchased.

Angela Smith: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) branded pens are being used to write with, and will continue to be used as standard stationery items until stocks are exhausted.
	Between May 2002 and May 2006 a total of 5,095 was spent on ODPM branded pens, carrier bags, and note pads.
	These items were used at exhibitions and events to help promote the Office's schemes and policies.

Ballpoint Pens

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1646W, on ballpoint pens, on what dates the pens were ordered.

Angela Smith: The pens were ordered on 11 August 2005, and 23 September 2005.

Ballpoint Pens

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1646W, on ballpoint pens, how much her Department has spent on ballpoint pens with the Department for Communities and Local Government branding since May 2006.

Angela Smith: The Department has spent no money on pens with the branding Department for Communities and Local Government since May 2006.

Broadband

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  whether it is her policy to exempt local loop unbundling broadband operators from paying non-domestic rates; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the impact of non-domestic rates on local loop unbundling upon the wholesale broadband market; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  whether local loop unbundling will be exempt from non-domestic rates after 31 March 2008; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  what discussions her Department has had with  (a) BT and  (b) local loop unbundling operators on the payment of non-domestic rates on unbundled local loops; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: Liability for non-domestic rates on unbundled local loops is determined by the Central Rating List (England) Regulations 2006 which provide that, until 31 March 2008, unbundled local loops are part of British Telecommunications Ltd. (BT) single central list hereditament.
	Local loop operators pay an annual cost-oriented rental charge to BT for each loop they unbundle. Included in the rental charge is an amount BT is entitled to recover as a contribution to their non-domestic rates bill.
	The consultation paper issued by the Department in December 2005 proposed this arrangement and also invited comments on the long term options. It was recognised that further detailed analysis of the options was needed before a long term solution could be implemented. The Department intends to issue a further consultation paper including a partial regulatory impact assessment once the detailed analysis work is completed. It is envisaged the outcome of the further consultation will determine whether BT continues to pay non-domestic rates for unbundled local loops or whether the non-domestic rates liability for the loops will shift to local loop unbundling operators.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government, The Department for Trade and Industry, the Valuation Office Agency and Ofcom have held formal and informal discussions with BT and local loop unbundling operators on this subject and there will be further discussions as part of the work on determining the long term solution.

City Development Corporations

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how her proposed city development corporations will interact with  (a) local authorities,  (b) regional chambers and  (c) regional development agencies.

Yvette Cooper: The concept of a city development company is a flexible one, and it is sensible for places to decide the approach that works best for them. We will want to see efficiency, innovation and delivery aligned with accountability to local government, regional development agency support, and strategic fit with regional economic strategies, the regional spatial strategy and other relevant regional and sub-regional strategies. We will consult on draft guidance for city development companies following the local government white paper.

City Development Corporations

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding she has allocated to promote city development corporations.

Yvette Cooper: The Government will not be making decisions on funding allocations for future years in advance of the comprehensive spending review 2007. We will consult on draft guidance for city development companies following the Local Government White Paper.

Connect Programme

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) budget and  (b) purpose is of the Government Connect 'GC Accounts' programme.

Angela Smith: 'Government Connect Accounts' is part of the Government Connect programme. The total Government Connect programme budget is 26.5 million.
	Government Connect is an initiative led by local authorities, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Cabinet Office to provide a common infrastructure for secure electronic interaction between local government, central Government and citizens. The Government Connect Accounts element of the programme is used to check user identity and is currently working with other government identity management initiatives to make use of cross-Government standards and technologies.

Council Homes

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the cost of bringing all council homes up to the decent homes standard in each local authority which does not have tenant support for stock transfer, private finance initiative or arm's length management organisation and which has indicated that it cannot meet the standard using its own resources.

Yvette Cooper: Only one local authority, the London borough of Camden, is not pursuing an arm's length management organisation or stock transfer, and has reported that it can not meet the decent homes standard using existing resources. Camden is using PFI to deliver decent homes for part of its stock.
	Camden has reported that the cost to make decent all of their dwellings below the decent homes standard at 1 April 2005 was 261,000,000.
	 Source:
	Business Plan Annual Monitoring Return 2005.

Departmental Staff / International Planning

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many full-time equivalent staff work in her Department's international planning division;
	(2)  if she will place in the Library a copy of each edition of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's International Planning Newsletter.

Yvette Cooper: The international planning and emerging policies branch within the Planning Directorate has responsibility for coordinating the UK's contribution to the work led by EU member states on territorial cohesion. The staff resource identified for this work amounts to the equivalent of one full-time staff member.
	Production of an International Planning Newsletter was discontinued two years ago.

Departmental Staff

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department spent on performance-related bonuses to civil servants in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The total amount of performance-related bonuses paid to staff in the Department for Communities and Local Government in the most recent year, based on latest available figures, was 905,000.

Dwelling House Codes

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many domestic properties in England do not have  (a) three,  (b) four,  (c) six and  (d) eight dwelling house codes.

Phil Woolas: At 3 October 2006, 96.3 per cent. of the Valuation Office Agency's electronic records for domestic properties in England contained eight or more dwelling house codes. Out of the total 22,176,931 dwellings, the number without property attribute codes were:  (a) three or more codes missing 527,149  (b) an additional 29,277 with four or more codes missing  (c) an additional 42,996 with 6 or more codes missing and  (d) a further 218,038 with eight or more codes missing. In total there were 817,460 with eight or more dwelling house codes missing.

Energy Efficiency (Building Regulations)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what criteria were used to  (a) include carbon emitting technology and  (b) exclude thermal mass and night-time cooling from the new L2 building regulations iSBEM model; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the performance of the software model iSBEM that has been launched in support of the new building regulations L2; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The simplified building energy model (SBEM) was developed to conform to the emerging European standards for energy calculations and therefore it has incorporated those energy flows for which procedures have been developed in the draft European Standards (prENs).
	The impact of thermal mass on energy demand is included in the energy calculation as far as its impact on normal heating and cooling strategies are concerned. SBEM does not address night cooling strategies because this is difficult in a monthly calculation method like SBEM. It was always recognised that certain design features would not be included in early versions of SBEM, and that is why the Government included in the overall national calculation methodology the option to use more detailed hourly simulation models, which can address features such as night cooling. This means that options exist whereby any design strategy can be assessed in terms of its contribution at achieving compliance with part L.
	The SBEM calculation method has been developed in close discussion with industry who have been provided with beta test versions and invited to test the tool and provide feedback on their experience. The tool has also been used on a number of case studies in both this country and abroad.

Energy Efficiency (Building Regulations)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to include passive heating techniques in the code for sustainable homes.

Angela Smith: Passive heating techniques are recognised in the Government's standard assessment procedure (SAP) for the calculation of energy efficiency. It is intended to use SAP in the code for sustainable homes, and accordingly the code will give credit for passive heating techniques.

Energy Performance Inspections

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the average length of time it will take to conclude an energy performance certificate inspection.

Yvette Cooper: Trials are planned to take place during November 2006 to assess the indicative time and costs of producing energy performance certificates. We expect the time taken to vary according to the size, type and location of the property.

Green Belt

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what total acreage of land was designated as green belt in each of the last 20 years.

Yvette Cooper: The total area of land designated as green belt in England for each year for which data are available is presented in the following table:
	
		
			   Area (Hectares) 
			 1993 1,555,700 
			 1997 1,652,300 
			 2003 1,671,400 
			 2004 1,678,200 
			  Source:  DCLG Statistical Releases: Green Belt Statistics, England. 
		
	
	The total area of land designated as green belt in Scotland for which data are available is for 2004: 144,000 hectares.
	 Source:
	The Scottish Executive.
	There is no designated green belt in Wales.

Home Inspectors

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government where the number of the Government home inspector advice line is publicised; and whether this number is solely for advice on home information packs.

Yvette Cooper: The Home Inspector advice line number is publicised on the Department's website, the home information packs subsite, the home inspector careers website and other general careers publications. The telephone number is 08000 567160.
	This number is to advise potential home inspector candidates on their training opportunities, rather than as a general contact point for the public.

Home Insulation

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many inspectors for home insulation had their accreditations withdrawn in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many inspectors of home insulation were accredited in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Central records are not kept. The home energy efficiency scheme in Wales is administered for the National Assembly for Wales by the EAGA Group which employs a number of contractors to carry out insulation works under the grant scheme.

Housing

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect on private sector tenants who find it difficult financially to take on local authority accommodation in cases when councils have been successful in meeting the Government's void times targets.

Yvette Cooper: Best value performance indicator (BVPI) BV212 measures the average time taken to re-let local authority housing. BV212 does not differentiate according to the type of tenure the person was in prior to the letting, nor does it look at the effect a local authority let has on the financial circumstances of the a tenant who was previously housed in the private rented sector. Targets set against BV212 are determined by individual local authorities themselves and not by the Government.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when Professor John Hills is due to report on his review of social housing.

Yvette Cooper: Professor Hills is due to present the findings of his assessment of social housing to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in December 2006.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her estimate is of the number of  (a) housing associations,  (b) local authorities with council-run social housing and  (c) local authorities with social housing run through arm's-length management organisations in England.

Yvette Cooper: On 1 October 2006 there were nearly 2,000 housing associations; there were 108 local authorities who had opted directly to manage all their social housing and there were 53 local authorities with social housing run through arm's-length management. There were a further 52 who had opted to either transfer their homes to a housing association or set up an ALMO but they have yet to complete the process and so are currently managing some or all of their stock directly. Some local authorities have more than one management structure for their social housing.

Housing

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were classified as  (a) homeless and  (b) unsuitably housed in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Yvette Cooper: Information about local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation is collected in respect of households rather than persons. The number of households accepted by local authorities in England as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and consequently owed the main homelessness duty, in each year since 1997-98; and the number of households in temporary accommodation arranged by the authority under homelessness legislation as at 31 March of each year, are in the following table. From 1998, information has also been collected on the number of people who sleep roughthat is, those who are literally roofless on a single nightand these are presented in the tables.
	
		
			   Households accepted( 1)  as owed a main duty during the year  Households in temporary accommodation( 2 ) at end of year (31 March) 
			 1997-98 102,430 47,520 
			 1998-99 104,260 56,580 
			 1999-00 105,580 65,170 
			 2000-01 114,670 75,200 
			 2001-02 116,660 80,210 
			 2002-03 128,540 89,040 
			 2003-04 135,430 97,680 
			 2004-05 120,860 101,070 
			 2005-06 93,980 96,370 
			 (1) Households eligible under homelessness legislation, found to be unintentionally homeless and in a priority need category, and consequently owed a main homelessness duty.  (2) Households in accommodation either pending a decision on their homelessness application or awaiting allocation of a settled home following acceptance. Excludes those households designated as homeless at home that have remained in their existing accommodation and have the same rights to suitable alternative accommodation as those in accommodation arranged by the authority.  (3) Mid-year estimates Source: DCLG P1E Homelessness returns (quarterly); and Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (annual) (for Rough Sleepers data) 
		
	
	
		
			   Rough Sleepers( 1)  (number of persons) June 
			 1998 1,850 
			 1999 1,633 
			 2000 1,180 
			 2001 703 
			 2002 596 
			 2003 504 
			 2004 508 
			 2005 459 
			 2006 502 
			 (1) Mid-year estimates. 
		
	
	Data on acceptances and households in temporary accommodation for each local authority area since 1997-98, and rough sleeper figures back to 1998, have already been placed in the Library this month (PQ 8631 the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell)).
	There is no general definition of 'unsuitable' housing. The available estimates for the number of unfit homes (as defined by Section 604 of the 1989 Local Government and Housing Act) are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of unfit homes in England, 1991 to 2004 
			   Number (thousand)  Percentage of all homes 
			 1991 1,498 7.6 
			 1996 1,522 7.5 
			 2001 902 4.3 
			 2003 1,005 4.7 
			 2004 985 4.6 
			  Note:  1. Unfit homes are those which fail the statutory minimum standard as defined by the Fitness Standard. From 2006 figures will be based on the Housing Health and Safety Rating System which replaced the Fitness Standard following the 2004 Housing Act.   Source:  DCLG : English House Condition Surveys 
		
	
	Each local authority makes its own independent assessment of unfitness which it reports in its annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix. These figures are also published by my Department and are available on the DCLG website from 2001-02 at the following address:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1156544
	For methodological reasons the figures from the English House Condition Survey are used as the most reliable national estimate of the overall scale of unfitness and indicator of any trend.

Housing

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty properties there have been in each local authority area in Suffolk in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: For the number of empty properties in each local authority in Suffolk in each year since 1997 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Mr. Rogerson) on 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1604W.

Housing

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to increase funding to social housing enablers.

Barry Gardiner: I have been asked to reply.
	Rural housing enablers (RHEs) work with rural communities, local authorities, landowners, and housing associations to help identify rural housing needs and find appropriate solutions. There are currently 40 RHEs in post, supported by funding from local authorities, housing associations and Defra. They act independently of any single organisation, usually located in the offices of the county rural community council, while some sit within the offices of the local authority. Defra has committed funding to support RHEs through the rural social and community programme, this is fixed until March 2008.

Housing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what the timetable is for additional secondary legislation to be introduced or amended in relation to the Housing Act 2004;
	(2)  what provisions in the Housing Act 2004 remain to be implemented; and what the timetable is for their implementation.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		
			  Housing Act 2004: Timetable for implementation and regulations 
			  Provision/Part  Proposed timetable for implementation and regulations 
			 Parts 2, 3, 4 and 7HMO and Selective Licensing Regulations relating to section 257 HMOs and Rent Repayment Orders will be laid later in 2006 
			 Part 5Home Information Packs Amendments in respect of The Home Information Pack Regulations will be laid in early 2007 
			 Part 6Tenant Deposit Protection Regulations relating to Tenancy Deposit Protection schemes will be laid in early 2007

Housing

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether teachers working in the independent sector are eligible to obtain key worker housing.

Yvette Cooper: No, the key worker living programme is for public sector workers only. Teachers employed in state maintained nursery (early years) primary or secondary schools and some further education institutes are eligible to apply for assistance.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how long homes built under the key worker living initiative have to remain empty before alternative uses can be found.

Yvette Cooper: Each scheme is dealt with on an individual basis taking into account the marketing activities of the registered social landlord and local market demand and supply. There is flexibility which allows for changes to tenure and widening of the eligibility criteria where local evidence demonstrates that this is needed and where no added grant is required. Scheme review will be triggered only where units have been empty for at least three months.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether  (a) discretionary and  (b) mandatory houses of multiple occupation licensing applies to (i) hotels, (ii) bed and breakfast establishments and (iii) hostels.

Yvette Cooper: Discretionary or mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) may apply to (i) hotels, (ii) bed and breakfasts and (iii) hostels if the individual establishments  (a) fall within the definition of an HMO and  (b) either is a category of HMO to which a discretionary scheme applies or is one that meets the criteria for mandatory licensing.

Landlords

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to collect empty homes data in respect of registered social landlords.

Yvette Cooper: Data on empty homes for register social landlords (RSLs) are collected on the regulatory and statistical return of the Housing Corporation (Long form) which is completed by those RSLs which have 250 or more dwelling and bedspaces.
	Information on vacant general needs vacant dwelling is published on Department for Communities and Local Government website on table 613 at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/26/table613_idl156026.xls

Local Government Reform

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library the submissions sent by individuals and organisations in Gloucestershire on the subject of local government reform following the visit of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to Gloucestershire.

Phil Woolas: We have received five written representations from the Gloucestershire county area about local government reform; we will send redacted copies to my right. hon. Friend.

Planning

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the publication by her Department of the proposed amendment to the Town and County Planning (Regional Planning) England Regulations 2004, what proportion of relevant local authorities within a region must be affiliated to the regional chamber in order for it to be recognised as a regional planning board.

Yvette Cooper: The proposed amendment to Town and Country Planning (Regional Planning) (England) Regulations 2004 does not change the existing legislative requirement for regional planning bodies to include at least one member from each of type of relevant authority, if such an authority exists within the region concerned. Where a relevant authority means
	(a) a district council,
	(b) a county council,
	(c) a metropolitan district council,
	(d) a National park authority,
	(e) the Broads authority,
	(f) the Council of the Isles of Scilly
	In addition, at least 60 percent. of the membership of regional planning bodies must be from local planning authorities.

Quarries

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether disused quarries are classified as  (a) greenfield and  (b) brownfield land; and whether she plans to review this designation.

Yvette Cooper: Quarrying is a form of development, and so land that has been used for this purpose may be regarded as 'previously-developed'. However, as such a use is temporary, in a case where the quarrying use is subject to planning conditions that required the land to be restored to its natural state when the quarrying use is completed, a former quarry would be treated as greenfield for planning for housing purposes.

Refuse Collection

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has provided to local authorities on moving from weekly to fortnightly collection of domestic rubbish.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Defra has not issued guidance to local authorities on alternate weekly collection of household waste.
	The Environmental Protection Act 1990 does not stipulate how local authorities should discharge their household waste collection duties, nor the frequency with which collections have to be made. Each authority is free to choose its own method of collection and the priority, degree of effort and resources required.
	The waste and resources action programme (WRAP) has produced guidance which is used by local authorities when considering the introduction of alternate week collection of waste. This is available from WRAP's website: http://www.wrap.org.uk/local_authorities/toolkits_good_practice/index.html.
	An interim report on the health impact assessment of alternate week waste collection is also available on the local authority support pages of Defra's website: http://lasupport.defra.gov.uk/ViewDocument_Image.aspx?Doc_ID=362.

Regeneration (Thames Gateway)

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if her Department will give local planning authorities in the Thames Gateway additional incentives to put design frameworks in place through the planning delivery grant.

Yvette Cooper: The Government are currently consulting on the proposed criteria for the allocation of 120 million of planning delivery grant in 2007-08.
	These proposals include a provision of 24 million to recognise the additional work that is being undertaken by local planning authorities within growth areas to deliver higher levels of housing growth, which may well include work to bring forward design frameworks. This will apply to all planning authorities in the Thames Gateway.

Regeneration (Thames Gateway)

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which of the local planning authorities in the Thames Gateway have up-to-date urban capacity assessments.

Yvette Cooper: All of the local planning authorities in the Thames Gateway have current urban capacity studies. Where the urban capacity studies are not up to date they are either in the process of being reviewed or will be reviewed as the local planning authority in question develops the evidence base for the development documents in the local development framework.

Rented Accommodation

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many houses and flats were available for rent in England from  (a) local authorities and  (b) housing associations in (i) 1997 and (ii) the latest year for which figures are available.

Yvette Cooper: There were 12,180 dwellings available for letting in England by local authorities, as at 1 April 2005(1).( )1997 data are not available.
	There were 6,050 dwellings available for letting in England by registered social landlords, as at 31 March 2005(2). 1997 data are not available.
	These figures exclude dwellings in need of minor repairs.
	 Source: (1) DCLG's Business Plan Statistical Appendix: Annual Monitoring return, BPSA-AM).
	(2) Housing Corporation's Regulatory Statistical Return, RSR).

Right to Buy

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many right-to-buy sales there were in England in each year since 1980, broken down by Government office of the region since 1996.

Yvette Cooper: The number of right-to-buy sales in England broken down by Government office region can be found on the Communities and Local Government website at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/231/Table670_id1502231.xls.

Right to Buy

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of housing association tenants in England have  (a) the right to buy and  (b) preserved right to buy.

Yvette Cooper: There are 1.862 million housing association tenants in England, of whom approximately 27,000 (i.e. 2 per cent.), who are secure tenants of non-charitable housing associations, have the right to buy. Another 998,000 tenants (i.e. 54 per cent.), who have transferred with their homes from local authorities, have a preserved right to buy.
	A further 174,000 (i.e. 9 per cent.) housing association tenants may qualify for the right to acquire because their homes have been built with public funds since April 1997. Some of the tenants of the 752,000 homes which have transferred from local authorities to housing associations after 1 April 1997 may also qualify for the right to acquire scheme.

Sexual Orientation Discrimination Regulations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made with the proposed sexual orientation discrimination regulations; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer given on 19 October by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Sustainable Communities

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Deputy Prime Minister's award for sustainable communities has been abolished.

Yvette Cooper: The awards have not been abolished. The Department for Communities and Local Government continues to acknowledge the importance of recognising and sharing best practice through awards, which we consider a valuable element in a comprehensive approach to raising standards.
	We have asked the Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC) to expand and manage the Awards on our behalf from 2006 onwards.
	The awards will continue to recognise projects and initiatives that make a particular contribution to making towns, cities and communities better places to live and work. They underline the Department's objectives in this regard, reward individuals for personal contributions and help to identify best practice examples from which others can be encouraged to learn.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1680W to the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands), on the Valuation Office Agency, what property attributes are used within the multiple regression models.

Phil Woolas: The following property attributes are considered for multiple regression analysis:
	Area (i.e. size)
	Property Group (i.e. architectural style)
	Property Type
	Age
	Number of Garage spaces
	Number of Parking spaces
	Additional Bathrooms (over one)
	Purpose Built Flat indicator (flats and maisonettes only)
	Converted Flat indicator (flats and maisonettes only)
	'No Lift' indicator (flats and maisonettes only)
	End Terraced or Cluster House indicator (houses only)
	Terraced, End Terraced and Cluster Bungalow indicator (bungalows only)
	Floor Level (flats and maisonettes only)
	Maisonette indicator
	Ratio of Plot Size to Area (houses and bungalows only)
	Subsidised Dwelling Indicator (Z_ code)
	Multiple regression analysis uses sale prices combined with property attribute data to establish which of these aspects are significant in explaining variance in sale price in a given valuation area and what contributory effect each attribute has.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment the Government has made of whether the Valuation Office Agency council tax database holds sensitive personal data as defined by the Data Protection Act 1998.

Phil Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency's (VGA's) database of property attribute codes does not contain any sensitive personal data as defined by s2 of the Data Protection Act 1998.

TREASURY

Child Benefit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of raising the value of child benefit for all children to the rate payable for the first child; how many children would be removed from poverty by such an increase; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The cost in 2006-07 of raising the value of child benefit for all children to the rate payable for the eldest child is 1.7 billion.
	Based on a 60 per cent. contemporary median income poverty threshold, it is estimated that this could lower child poverty by between 250,000 and 300,000 children, depending on the choice of equivalisation scale for household incomes.

Conference Bookings

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1361W to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers), on HM Revenue and Customs, how many conference bookings have been  (a) booked and  (b) cancelled by HM Revenue and Customs, and its predecessors, through (i) Sabre-Holdings, (ii) its subsidiaries and (iii) Travelocity-Business, formerly known as First Option Events, in each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs have a contract for conference bookings with Travelocity (formerly First Option). This contract commenced on 1 July 2000 and was originally between HM Customs and Excise, the Inland Revenue and First Option.
	In the 12 month period up to June 2006, 60 of 2,364 bookings were cancelled. 30 of 895 bookings were cancelled in the preceding year, as were 61 of 1,636 in the year before that.

Corporation Tax

Alan Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been generated by corporation tax receipts in each year since 1997; and what percentage of total tax receipts was raised through corporation tax in the same period.

Dawn Primarolo: Historical corporation tax receipts data can be found at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/menu.htm. Data on total net taxes and national insurance contributions are published in table C1 of the Public Finances Databank which can be found at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/economic_data_and_tools/finance_spending_statistics/pubsec_finance/psf_databank.cfm.

Departmental Dress Code

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his  (a) Department's policy is on the display of religious (i) artefacts, (ii) symbols and (iii) dress by its staff and  (b) how many staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding this policy in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Treasury does not have a policy on the display of religious artefacts, symbols and dress by its staff.

Departmental Land and Property

Robert Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Government-owned land and property has been sold by the Department since 1997.

John Healey: In the period since 1997 HM Treasury has sold one property. This was in 2004-05 when 100 Parliament street was sold to HM Revenue and Customs. Further details of the transaction can be obtained from HM Treasury's Annual Resource Accounts in paragraphs 31, 34 and 41 of the Operating and Financial Review, on pages 8 and 9.
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/3A6/1E/resource_accounts_2004-5.pdf

Enterprise Investment Scheme

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the enterprise investment scheme in creating new company start ups.

John Healey: In April 2003, HM Revenue and Customs published research into the enterprise investment scheme (EIS) carried out by PACEC and the Centre for Business Research at the University of Cambridge (available at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/report.pdf). This research concluded that the EIS scheme has met its objective of encouraging more investment by individuals in smaller, high risk trading companies, which in turn has increased their potential to grow and become successful.

Enterprise Investment Scheme

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many investors sought tax relief under the enterprise investment scheme in each of the last five financial years; and what the value was of  (a) income tax and  (b) capital gains tax relief in each year.

John Healey: The numbers of subscriptions made to invest through the enterprise investment scheme (EIS) are published by HMRC as National Statistics, see Table 8.1'Companies and amount of investment, number of subscriptions, business angels and amounts invested' at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/ent_invest_scheme/table8-1.pdf.
	The number of subscriptions is not equal to the number of investors as an individual can invest in more than one company.
	Estimates of the aggregate cost of tax relief are published by HMRC as National Statistics, see Table 1.5'Main tax expenditures and structural reliefs' at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/1_5_apr06.pdf
	The estimated split between income tax and capital gains tax relief from 2001-02 to 2004-05 are:
	
		
			   million 
			  Tax year  Cost of income tax relief  Cost of capital gains tax relief 
			 2001-02 60 190 
			 2002-03 50 150 
			 2003-04 45 135 
			 2004-05(1) 40 130 
			 (1 )Figure subject to revision, as more information becomes available. It is too early to give reliable estimates for 2005-06.

Housing Associations

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reduce the level of VAT on managing agreements undertaken between housing associations to allow a modernisation of services within areas.

Dawn Primarolo: Under agreements governing the application of VAT reliefs throughout the EU, successive Governments have agreed with European partners not to extend any existing VAT zero rates or introduce any new ones. The scope of the exemptions from VAT is similarly limited by European VAT agreements.
	These agreements do make reduced VAT rates of not less than five per cent. available in strictly limited areas. However, there is no reduced rate available that could be applied to all managing agreements between housing associations, regardless of the services carried out under these agreements.
	Where VAT reduced rates are available under European agreements, we have applied them sparingly and only where they offer the most cost-effective and best targeted support for our social objectives when compared with other policy instruments.
	In relation to housing, reduced VAT rates have, to date, been targeted in areas where a VAT reduction would have the greatest effect on the regeneration and renewal of the UK housing stock. For example, the Government have applied a reduced VAT rate for certain residential conversions, and on the renovation of housing that has been empty for more than three years. These VAT reductions are aimed at supporting better use of the existing housing stock and helping to bring vacant homes back into use.

Immigration

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information has been passed to the National Audit Office in relation to the immigration easement to rule 12 verification in April 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC regularly passes information to the National Audit Office on all aspects of their business, including tax credits.

Inheritance Tax

Alan Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many exemptions from inheritance tax have been granted under access agreements in the last two years;
	(2)  what criteria HM Revenue and Customs applies in determining the acceptability of applications for new access agreements;
	(3)  what changes have been made in the criteria for judging acceptability of access agreements since 1997; and whether each change was applicable to pre-existing agreements;
	(4)  what provision there is for review of access agreements;
	(5)  how the public may discover what is available to be seen under access agreements.

Dawn Primarolo: 22 exemptions from inheritance tax for heritage assets were granted in the two years 2004-05 and 2005-06. 19 exemptions covered a total of 957 pre-eminent chattels, one exemption was for a historic house with 246 historically associated chattels, and two exemptions were for scenic land.
	Section 31 Inheritance Tax Act 1984 requires the public access to be reasonable. HM Revenue and Customs assesses what is reasonable on a case by case basis, on advice as appropriate from the relevant Government heritage advisory agencies. HM Revenue and Customs publishes guidance on their website about the criteria which apply to the public access condition in relation to objects of national etc. interest: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/ihtmanual/ Annex.htm and the heritage advisory agencies provide detailed recommendations as regards land and buildings and their historically associated contents.
	Changes to improve the public access criterion were made by Finance Act 1998 so that it was reviewable and could no longer be satisfied by offering access only by prior appointment. The 1998 Finance Act also enabled agreements made in the past to be reviewed. Variation is by agreement between HM Revenue and Customs and the owner, but with recourse to an independent tribunal if agreement cannot be reached. HM Revenue and Customs reviews agreements at least every five years.
	Details of conditionally exempt heritage assets that can be seen by the public, and details about the scheme generally, are available on the HM Revenue and Customs website: www.visitukheritage.gov.uk.

Iraq

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what resources have been set aside to assist with the reconstruction of Iraq in each year for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is available on page 225 of the Department for International Development's departmental report.

Ministerial Meetings

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what meetings  (a) he and  (b) his Ministers have had with Mr Hamish Sandison since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: holding answer 25 July 2006
	Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Public Sector Wages

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been employed in the public sector in each year since 1980-81; and what the public sector wage bill was in each such year.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 October 2006:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many people have been employed in the public sector in each year from 1980-81 and what the public sector wage bill was in each such year. (96010).
	Public sector employment statistics are published in the quarterly Public Sector Employment First Release which is available on the National Statistics website (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/pse0906.pdf). The latest information available is for Quarter 2 (June) 2006.
	Consistent time series are available back to 1991 from Table 1 of the above publication. For earlier estimates (which are on a different basis) figures are sourced from the July 2004 edition of Labour Market Trends. The break follows a review of Public Sector Employment statistics in 2004 which resulted in improvements to coverage and timeliness.
	The figures for 1980-2006 are shown in the table below with 1991 presented on both bases to indicate the break in the series.
	Statistics on compensation of employees in the public sector are published in the UK National Accounts (Blue Book) which is available on the National Statistics website. The latest information available is for the year 2005.
	Consistent time series are available back to 1980 from Table 3.2.2 (Public Corporations) and Table 5.1.2 (General Government) of the above publication.
	
		
			  Public sector employment: UK, 1980-2006 
			  Thousand 
			  Year (June)  Headcount 
			 1980 7,387 
			 1981 7,185 
			 1982 7,021 
			 1983 6,952 
			 1984 6,900 
			 1985 6,569 
			 1986 6,534 
			 1987 6,359 
			 1988 6,315 
			 1989 6,084 
			 1990 6,052 
			 1991 5,848 
			 1991 5,979 
			 1992 5,905 
			 1993 5,593 
			 1994 5,430 
			 1995 5,368 
			 1996 5,268 
			 1997 5,174 
			 1998 5,163 
			 1999 5,207 
			 2000 5,288 
			 2001 5,378 
			 2002 5,485 
			 2003 5,641 
			 2004 5,756 
			 2005 5,849 
			 2006 5,840 
			  Source: ONS 
		
	
	
		
			  Compensation of public sector employees: UK, 1980-2005 
			   million 
			  Calendar year  General government  Public corporations 
			 1980 30,159 16,216 
			 1981 34,211 17,524 
			 1982 36,981 18,636 
			 1983 40,101 19,075 
			 1984 41,859 18,512 
			 1985 44,061 17,081 
			 1986 47,347 18,415 
			 1987 51,591 15,721 
			 1988 55,816 15,014 
			 1989 59,417 15,330 
			 1990 64,709 14,576 
			 1991 70,400 13,453 
			 1992 75,987 14,957 
			 1993 77,183 12,810 
			 1994 76,062 12,182 
			 1995 78,121 12,000 
			 1996 82,265 11,048 
			 1997 83,888 10,139 
			 1998 85,475 10,367 
			 1999 89,719 10,935 
			 2000 95,536 11,399 
			 2001 103,401 11,707 
			 2002 111,352 12,382 
			 2003 121,625 12,368 
			 2004 130,777 12,656 
			 2005 139,183 12,965 
			  Source: ONS

Royal Mint

Michael Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what authority foreign coin dies are retained by the museum of the Royal Mint after production has ceased.

John Healey: Where there are contractual specifications referring to the disposal of foreign coin dies, the Royal Mint complies with those clauses, either destroying or returning the dies as appropriate. In other cases, the Royal Mint may choose to retain a small selection of master tools or production dies in the Royal Mint museum which acts as a source of reference both to overseas central banks and to other mints. More information about the museum may be found at:
	http://www.royalmint.gov.uk/RoyalMint/web/site/Corporate/Corp_museum/museum.asp

Tax Credits

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice is given to recipients of tax credits when they notify the Tax Credit Office of an increase in income to avoid the possibility of an overpayment in tax credits.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 20 October 2006
	Tax credits helpline advisers have guidance that prompts them to explain to callers that, if they inaccurately estimate their income or delay giving details of any increase in their income, they may have to pay back any overpayment after the end of a year.
	Tax credits award notices and accompanying guidance notes, together with the guidance notes that accompany claim forms all explain that changes in income can affect entitlement and encourage claimants to tell HM Revenue and Customs as soon as their income changes.

Tax Credits

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many self-employed people in the Stroud district are in receipt of tax credits; and how many of these have received an overpayment in each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 20 October 2006
	For tax credit purposes, HMRC require to know whether a claimant is in-work or out-of-work. They do not need information on what type of employment the claimant is in.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when Ministers first saw copies of the draft HM Revenue and Customs report on tax credit fraud and error published in July 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Advice is routinely given to Ministers and they are kept aware of any emerging issues. I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement I made to the House on 11 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 1281-282 and also to my answer of 17 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 161-162W.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what total tax credit payments were made against budget profile and forecast in each month from April 2005 to July 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: An updated forecast for the public finances will be presented in the 2006 pre-Budget report.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the level of tax credit overpayments in  (a) 2003-04,  (b) 2004-05 and  (c) 2005-06; how much of these overpayments have so far been recovered in each year from 2003-04 to 2006-07; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates for 2003-04 and 2004-05 of the numbers of in-work families with tax credits awards, including information on overpayments and underpayments, based on final family circumstances and incomes for 2003-04 and 2004-05 are published in Child and Working Tax Credits. Finalised Awards 2003-04. Supplements on Payments in 2003-04. And the Child and Working Tax Credits. Finalised Awards 2004-05. Supplements on Payments in 2004-05 . These publications and provisional estimates for the number of in-work families with tax credit awards as at selected dates in 2005-06 are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm
	The amount of overpayments recovered for 2003-04 and 2004-05 tax credit awards, as at April 2006, are provided in the Comptroller and Auditor General's Standard Report on the Accounts of the Inland Revenue 2005-06, which is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/reports.htm
	Figures for 2005-06 overpayments will not be available until the publication of the Comptroller and Auditor General's Standard Report on the Accounts of the H M Revenue and Customs 2006-07.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the cost of administering tax credits in  (a) 2004-05 and  (b) 2005-06, broken down by main budget heading.

Dawn Primarolo: The cost of managing and paying the child and working tax credits in the financial year 2004-05 appear in note 3 to the Trust Statement in the Inland Revenue Annual Report and Accounts for 2004-05. The same costs for the financial year 2005-06 appear in note 3 to the Trust Statement in the Inland Revenue Annual Report and Accounts for 2005-06.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether disciplinary action has been taken against  (a) Treasury and  (b) HM Revenue and Customs staff in relation to the April 2003 easement and subsequent tax credit overpayments; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Decisions were taken as part of the operational responsibilities of HMRC. There was no reason to take any disciplinary action.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit awards were terminated as a result of a couple reporting a separation in  (a) the April-July 2006 quarter and  (b) the July-October 2006 quarter.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of tax credit awards that were ceased as a result of a couple reporting a separation in the quarters requested are as follows:
	
		
			  Quarter in which separation occurred  Number of awards ceased as at 2 October 2006 (Thousand) 
			  (a) 6 April 2006 to 5 July 2006 32 
			  (b) 6 July 2006 to 2 October 2006 33

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors were taken into account when the decision was made not to investigate tax credit rule 12 verification failures from April 2003; who  (a) made and  (b) approved that decision; when Ministers were first informed of the decision; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC take a number of factors into account when making decisions as part of their operational responsibilities.

VAT (Boilers)

Alan Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects HM Revenue and Customs to produce an advice note on the implementation of the 5 per cent. rate of VAT on renewable-fuel boilers.

Dawn Primarolo: Advice on the scope of the reduced rate of VAT for renewable fuel boilers can be found in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Notice 708/6, Energy-saving materials, a revised edition of which was published in August 2006. It is available from HMRC's National Advice Service on 0845 010 9000 or via their website at www.hmrc.gov.uk.

VAT Fraud

Alan Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of missing trader intra-community VAT fraud in the UK.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC's latest annual estimates of attempted MTIC fraud were published in Measuring Indirect Tax Losses2005, which is available from the House of Commons Library or from the following website:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/pbr2005/mitl2005.pdf
	The estimate for 2005-06 will be published at PBR 2006.

Voluntary Organisations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent considerations he has given to permitting the reclamation of VAT on fundraising activities by voluntary organisations.

Dawn Primarolo: Under the normal rules of VAT, VAT registered voluntary organisations can reclaim the VAT that they incur, including on their fundraising costs, when this relates to taxable business activities.
	Charities also benefit from special VAT exemptions and reliefs on the income of certain fundraising activitiessuch as the sale of goods and services at certain fundraising events, and the sale of donated goods. European VAT agreements entered into by successive governments mean that it is not possible to extend these fundraising reliefs and exemptions, or to introduce any new ones.
	The voluntary sector's irrecoverable VAT costs have been considered by the Government in two major reviews since 1997. In the course of these reviews it was not possible to find a VAT solution that was practical, efficient, affordable, well-targeted and based on principle. Therefore, the Government have focused their support for charitable giving outside the VAT system, for example through gift aid, under which charities can claim the equivalent of 28p for every 1 donated. In 2005-06 the Government repaid 728 million to charities under this scheme.

Wages and Incomes

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) average wage for (i) full-time male, (ii) full-time female, (iii) part-time male and (iv) part-time female employees and  (b) average household income for working age households was in (A) the London borough of Haringey area and (B) across London in (1) cash and (2) constant price terms in each of the last 10 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 24 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question what the (a) average wage for (i) full-time male, (ii) full-time female, (iii) part time male and (iv) part time female employees and (b) average household income for working age households was for working age households was in (A) the London Borough of Haringey area and (B) across London in (1) cash and (2) constant price terms in each of the last 10 years. (96654).
	Currently average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was unaffected by absence during the pay period. This is the standard definition used for ASHE. The ASHE does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.
	I have attached tables containing statistics on earnings from the ASHE for the years 1997-2005 for both the London Borough of Haringey and the Government Office Region of London. The second set of table shows these earnings statistics expressed in 2005 prices by uprating with the Retail Price Index (RPI).
	Average household income for working age households by council area is not available. Household income statistics for all households in the UK, based on the Family Resources Survey, are produced by the Department of Work and Pensions. Additionally the Office for National Statistics has produced statistics for wards for 2001-02 only. These estimates are based on a statistical model and are experimental statisticsthey have been developed in accordance with the principles set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice but are not accredited as National Statistics.
	The ASHE, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a one per cent sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes, but because of its sampling frame, it has difficulty capturing data on people with very low pay. It is therefore likely to under-represent relatively low paid staff earning below the tax threshold.
	
		
			  Gross weekly (cash ) pay for employee jobs( a)  by place of work 
			  Borough of Haringey 
			   Median  Mean 
			   Full-time  Part-time  Full-time  Part-time 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 2005 *496 *431 x **165 *571 467 **207 *180 
			 2004(b) *442 *411 x x *521 *472 **168 *166 
			 2004 *442 **422 x x *527 *478 **175 *168 
			 2003 *452 **370 x **159 *539 *434 x *169 
			 2002 *452 *345 x **136 482 *396 x *171 
			 2001 *397 *379 x x 437 *412 x **143 
			 2000 *405 *346 x x **527 378 x **155 
			 1999 *390 *306 x **113 458 *353 x **148 
			 1998 *403 *287 x x 451 314 x **113 
			 1997 *381 **291 x x *446 *317 x **119 
		
	
	
		
			  Gross weekly (cash ) pay for employee jobs( a)  by place of work 
			  London 
			   Median  Mean 
			   Full-time  Part-time  Full-time  Part-time 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 2005 620 492 *138 162 790 567 220 209 
			 2004(b) 594 475 133 150 749 543 240 201 
			 2004 599 480 134 152 764 551 244 204 
			 2003 576 461 123 145 744 528 *245 194 
			 2002 551 443 113 132 723 517 *224 176 
			 2001 531 422 96 124 685 486 *177 157 
			 2000 507 394 *100 122 647 457 171 159 
			 1999 480 380 *98 120 607 430 169 155 
			 1998 469 365 *91 116 586 410 *154 149 
			 1997 446 348 *93 115 556 391 158 142 
		
	
	
		
			  Gross weekly (constant price( c)  ) pay for employee jobs( a)  by place of work 
			  Borough of Haringey 
			   Median  Mean 
			   Full-time  Part-time  Full-time  Part-time 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 2005 *496 *431 x **165 *571 467 **207 *180 
			 2004(b) *455 **423 x x *537 *486 **173 *171 
			 2004 *455 **435 x x *543 *492 **180 *173 
			 2003 *479 **392 x **169 *571 *460 x *179 
			 2002 *493 *376 x **148 525 *432 x *186 
			 2001 *441 *421 x x 485 *457 x **159 
			 2000 *458 *391 x x **596 427 x *175 
			 1999 *452 *355 x **131 531 *409 x **172 
			 1998 *476 *339 x x 532 371 x **133 
			 1997 *469 **358 x x *549 *390 x **146 
		
	
	
		
			  Gross weekly (constant price( c)  ) pay for employee jobs( a)  by place of work 
			  London 
			   Median  Mean 
			   Full-time  Part-time  Full-time  Part-time 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 2005 620 492 *138 162 790 567 220 209 
			 2004(b) 612 489 137 155 771 559 247 207 
			 2004 617 494 138 157 787 568 251 210 
			 2003 611 489 130 154 789 560 *260 206 
			 2002 601 483 123 144 788 564 *244 192 
			 2001 589 468 107 138 760 539 *196 174 
			 2000 573 445 *113 138 731 516 193 180 
			 1999 557 441 *114 139 704 499 196 180 
			 1998 553 431 *107 137 691 484 *182 176 
			 1997 549 428 *114 141 684 481 194 175 
			 (a )Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence.  (b) In 2004 additional supplementary surveys were introduced to improve the coverage of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Figures are presented both excluding and including the additional surveys for comparison purposes.  (c )Constant price terms have been uprated using the Retail Prices Index (PRI), re-based at April 2005.  Guide to quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CVfor example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent., we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220.   Key:  CV = 5 per cent. * CV  5 per cent. and = 10 per cent. ** CV  10 per cent. and = 20 per cent. x CV  20 per cent. The median replaces the mean as the headline statistic. The weighted mean is the sum of the weighted values divided by the sum of the weights. The median is the value below which 50 per cent. of employees fall. It is preferred over the mean for earnings data as it is influenced less by extreme values and because of the skewed distribution of earnings data.

HEALTH

Acute Beds

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost per day of an acute bed in  (a) Worthing hospital and  (b) the Royal Sussex county hospital, Brighton was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Macular Degeneration

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the advice is from  (a) the Department of Health and  (b) the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to primary care trusts on the use of (i) Macugen and (ii) Lucentis for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

Rosie Winterton: Lucentis is under assessment by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and is currently not approved for marketing in the European Union (EU). Macugen already has approval for marketing in the EU.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently carrying out an appraisal of Macugen and Lucentis for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration and final guidance is due to be published in August 2007. NICE'S appraisal will take into account the outcome of the EMEA's assessment of Lucentis.
	Where guidance from NICE is not yet available, primary care trusts are expected to apply local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies. These arrangements should include an assessment of the available evidence.

Macular Degeneration

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will request that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence simultaneously appraises Avastin and Lucentis for the treatment of macular degeneration.

Andy Burnham: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising Lucentis (ranibizuman) alongside another drug, Macugen (pegaptanib), for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. NICE expects to publish its guidance to the national health service in August 2007. The Department has no current plans to ask NICE to appraise Avastin for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

Audiology Services

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets are in place for the provision of audiology services; what assessment she has made of whether the NHS will meet its targets in this area in 2006-07; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Audiology services are covered by the current operational waiting time standards of 13 weeks for first out-patients and six months for in-patients. Waits for audiological diagnostics are covered by the 13-week stage of treatment diagnostic milestone to be reached by March 2007 as part of the drive to reduce waits towards the December 2008 referral to treatment waiting time target of 18 weeks, the milestone is not itself a target. Audiology services are in the scope of 18 weeks if referral to a hospital consultant is involved but not if referral is direct to the audiology service. In practice, this means that complex cases are in scope but not the majority of simple cases.
	Ministers are aware of long waits for audiology services. An action plan is being developed to improve access to all audiology services including those outside 18 weeks.

Cane Hill, Coulsdon

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual cost has been of providing security for Cane Hill, Coulsdon in each of the last four years.

Rosie Winterton: The annual cost of providing security for Cane Hill, Coulsdon for each of the last four years has been:
	
		
			
			 2003 246,152 
			 2004 285,676 
			 2005 418,647 
			 2006 (To end September) 396,112 
		
	
	Cane Hill Hospital is included in the portfolio of properties to transfer to English Partnerships as part of a wider agreement with the Department for Communities and Local Government to support the Government's sustainable communities programme. In April 2005, English Partnerships took over responsibility for managing the site and paying for security. They have subsequently reviewed and increased the security arrangements. The increase in the costs reflects this review.

Care Homes

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what star rating each care home in the East Riding of Yorkshire received in the last report published by the Commission for Social Care Inspection; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that it proposes to introduce new quality, or star, ratings for all 28,000 care providers in England by mid-2007, which will allow service users and the public to see easily whether care providers are excellent, good, adequate or poor.
	CSCI inspectors prepare a report after each inspection of a care home, which sets out what the service does well and lists any improvements that need to be made.
	A CSCI report of a care home assesses each aspect of the services provided by reference to the Government's national minimum standards, which form the basis of what people should expect from care services.
	CSCI reports for care homes are available on its website at www.csci.org.uk.

Choose and Book

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what percentage of outpatient appointments were made using choose and book in the last period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what percentage of outpatient appointments were made using choose and book in the last period for which figures are available; and how many urgent referrals have been made as a proportion of the total referrals.

Ivan Lewis: In the week ending Sunday 24 September 2006, approximately 27 per cent. of general practitioner outpatient referrals were made using choose and book. No data are collected centrally on the priority of referrals.

Choose and Book

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average compliance duration has been for log on and completion of a referral against specification times for choose and book.

Ivan Lewis: The initial log-on to the choose and book application at the start of the day includes security and access controls as specified by the British Medical Association. The initial log-on session takes around 17 seconds and is only undertaken once at the start of the session. This is an important step in validating the credentials of the person accessing the system and helps to protect patient confidentiality. To complete the end-to-end booking process takes 48 seconds on average, if local infrastructure meets the minimum specified requirements and has been configured correctly.
	Contracted specification times do not cover the end-to-end booking process. This is dependent on local national health service infrastructure and external systems for which the choose and book core application supplier cannot be accountable.
	Specification times for performance of key elements of the core application are measured against a range of contractual transaction service levels. These include the following:
	
		
			  Transaction  Not less than 95 percent, of the aggregate transactions times-Less or equal to (seconds) 
			 Create appointment request 2.4 
			 Create referral 3.0 
			 Update referral 3.6 
			 View booking guidance 1.3 
			 View directory of services 1.6 
			 Display book appointment page 0.6 
			 Display prescription summary 0.6 
			 Display appointment summary print preview 0.9 
		
	
	Each of these contractual transaction service levels has been met during the last three months.

Choose and Book

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients using Choose and Book have chosen a hospital outside their local referral catchment area.

Ivan Lewis: This information is not collected centrally.

Choose and Book

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many uncompleted referral processes there have been under Choose and Book.

Ivan Lewis: The information is not available centrally. General practitioner practices, using the Choose and Book activity work list, can monitor converted and unconverted unique booking reference numbers for patients in the practice.

Chorley Hospital

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the five most common reasons were for  (a) out-patient and  (b) in-patient admissions to Chorley hospital in the most recent period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many people were admitted to Chorley hospital accident and emergency department in each of the last three years;
	(3)  what the most common reason was for admission to Chorley hospital accident and emergency department in the most recent period for which figures are available;
	(4)  how many ambulance admissions there were to  (a) Chorley hospital and  (b) Preston hospital accident and emergency departments in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: Data for individual hospitals are not collected centrally. The data in this answer relate to the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust. Information on ambulance admissions is not collected centrally.
	Details of admissions via accident and emergency (A and E) departments are contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Count of finished admission episodes for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust  Admission methods selected: Emergencyvia A and E services, including casualty department of provider, Emergencyother means, including patients who arrive via A and E department of another health care provider 
			   Finished admission episodes 
			 2002-03 15,377 
			 2003-04 16,177 
			 2004-05 16,592 
			  Notes:  1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  2. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  3. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The Information Centre for Health and Social Care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. Whilst this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.   Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for Health and Social Care. 
		
	
	The five most common reasons for admission in 2004-05 were:
	unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity;
	pain in throat and chest;
	syncope and collapse;
	angina pectoris; and
	other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Community Hospitals

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1207W, on community hospitals, what assessment her Department has made of the need for community hospital beds across England in the next five years.

Andy Burnham: We will consider proposals from primary care trusts (PCTs) under this programme. PCTs are in the best position to assess the needs of their local communities for these facilities.
	The Department is committed to allocating 750 million capital funding to PCTs for new community hospitals and facilities over the next five years. We welcome bids from all PCTs and other interested providers, for example from the voluntary sector, whose strategic health authorities submitted applications to the Department by 21 October.

Dentistry

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices undertake National Health Service treatment in England for  (a) adults and  (b) children; and how many undertook such work in each category in 1998.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the number of dental practice postcodes in England where payments for NHS dental treatment were claimed between 1 January and 31 December each year.
	
		
			   Adults only  Children only  Adults and children  Total 
			 1998 154 74 8,013 8,241 
			 2005 169 136 8,355 8,660 
			  Notes: 1. Data are for claims scheduled in the specified calendar years in both General Dental Services (CDS) and Personal Dental Services (PDS). 2. Children are defined as patients under 18 years on the date of acceptance for treatment. 3. There may be more than one practice at a postcode. 4. Data include notifications up to 12 October 2006.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care NHS Business Services Authority (BSA)

Dentistry

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have ceased to work for the National Health Service since the new contract came into force; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The numbers of primary care dentists on open national health service (NHS) contracts are collected and published quarterly. The latest information shows that there were 19,462 dentists (performers) on open NHS contracts as at 30 June 2006 in England.
	The final workforce information under the old contractual arrangements (as at 31 March 2006) showed that there were 21,111 dentists on open NHS contracts in England.
	This comparison does not provide a reliable guide to the level of NHS dental services available. This depends not only on numbers of dentists but also, more importantly, on the amount of NHS work that they carry out. The aforementioned figures are consistent with the Department's estimate that around one in 10 dentists chose not to take up new NHS contracts from 1 April 2006, but management information indicates that these dentists carried out only around 4 per cent. of NHS dental services. Since 1 April 2006, primary care trusts have commissioned significant additional levels of NHS dentistry, more than making up for the 4 per cent. of services associated with dentists who did not take up new contracts.
	Further information is available in reports published by The Information Centre for health and social care.
	Statistical information on the new contracts (quarter 1, June 2006) is available at:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstatsq2o6.
	Historical statistical information on the former General Dental Services contract and Personal Dental Services pilots is available at:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity.

Dentistry

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) NHS dentist training places and  (b) dentists there were in each of the last 20 years.

Rosie Winterton: The number of undergraduates admitted to dental schools varies depending upon the number of students who meet the entry criteria offered to them by the school. The table shows the number of home and European dental students admitted to English dental schools and the number of general dental services (CDS) and personal dental services (PDS) dentists in England, as at 30 September each year.
	
		
			   Students admitted to dental schools  Number of dentists 
			 1986 620 14,516 
			 1987 621 14,765 
			 1988 612 15,070 
			 1989 585 15,351 
			 1990 556 15,401 
			 1991 580 15,433 
			 1992 606 15,391 
			 1993 638 15,765 
			 1994 664 15,876 
			 1995 627 15,944 
			 1996 685 16,320 
			 1997 631 16,670 
			 1998 603 17,199 
			 1999 600 17,755 
			 2000 623 18,167 
			 2001 626 18,722 
			 2002 665 18,946 
			 2003 672 19,260 
			 2004 670 19,722 
			 2005 848 20,890 
			 Notes: 1. Information regarding the numbers of dentists was provided by The Information Centre for health and social care and NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA). 2. Dentists consist of principals, assistants and trainees. Information on NHS dentistry in the community dental services, in prisons or in hospitals is not included. Dental services provided privately are also excluded from the data. 3. Figures for the numbers of dentists at specified dates may vary depending on the date the figures are compiled. This is because the NHS BSA may be notified of joiners or leavers to or from the GDS or PDS up to several months, or more, after the move has taken place. Information is up to date as at 13 October 2006. 4. Numbers are based on national health service dentists on primary care trust (PCT) lists. Under the previous system of GDS (prior to  1 April 2006), a dentist could provide as much or as little NHS treatment as he or she chose. Since 1 April 2006, the level of dentistry provided depends on the contract with the PCT. In some cases, an NHS dentist may appear on a PCT list but not perform any NHS work in that period. Most NHS dentists do some private work. These data do not take into account the proportion of NHS work undertaken by dentists. 5. PDS dentistry started in October 1998.

Fibromyalgia

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what measures she plans to put in place  (a) to enable quick diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia and (b) to support people with fibromyalgia to continue in or return to work;
	(2)  whether the NHS has designated anyone as having responsibility for the welfare and interests of people with fibromyalgia.

Ivan Lewis: The NHS Improvement Plan set out the Government's priority to improve care for people with long term conditionssuch as fibromyalgiaby moving away from reactive care based in acute systems towards a systematic, patient-centred approach focussed on improving health outcomes for individuals.
	Supporting People with Long Term Conditions, published January 2005, sets out a new national health service and social care model designed to help local NHS and social care organisations improve care for people with long term conditions and provides a structured approach to help health and social care communities embed locally more effective approaches to the care and management of their chronically ill populations. It highlights the infrastructure needed to support better care as well as the need for a delivery system designed to match support to different patient needs.

Head Injuries

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what action has been taken to implement the recommendations of the Health Committee Report 2001 in respect of rehabilitation services for those who have suffered a head injury; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps have been taken since 2001 to improve methods of data collection on the incidence, prevalence and severity of head injury;
	(3)  what data are available for planning of services and other purposes relating to those who have suffered from a brain injury;
	(4)  what steps have been taken since 2001 to identify  (a) responsibility for the planning of head injury rehabilitation and  (b) the appropriate location for such rehabilitation.

Ivan Lewis: In our response to the Committee (Cm 5226, July 2001) the Government undertook to take their recommendations into account in drawing-up the national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions, and subsequently did so. The NSF was published last year and we are now working with stakeholders to implement it.
	It is the responsibility of local health and social care professionals to plan and commission services to meet the current, and forecast, needs of the people they serve.
	Data on the incidence of head injuries are collected and made available through the hospital episode statistics system. We have not made recent changes to this system.

Health Inequalities

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards reducing health inequalities within  (a) England and  (b) London.

Caroline Flint: Progress on reducing health inequalities in England is measured against the public service agreement (PSA) target and the 12 headline indicators set out in the national health inequalities strategy, the Programme for Action. The most recent report, the Status Report on the Programme for Action, published in August 2005, shows that the gap in life expectancy and infant mortality has continued to widen since the target baseline. The life expectancy gap has increased by 1 per cent. for males and 8 per cent. for females. The gap in infant mortality has increased from 13 per cent. to 19 per cent. The 12 national headline indicators monitor those programmes and policies that are expected to make a significant impact on health inequalities. The report shows no change for most indicators but early progress in three key areas:
	reductions in child poverty;
	improvements in housing quality; and
	a reduction in the inequalities in cardiovascular disease and cancer death rates, in absolute terms.
	In London, five of the 11 spearhead local authority areas covered by the London strategic health authority are making sufficient progress to narrow the life expectancy gap for both men and women in line with the target of reducing the gap by 10 per cent. by 2010. A further four areas are on track to narrow the gap for males or females. The remaining two areas are currently off track to meet the 2010 target.

Health Inequalities

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards reaching the target of reducing inequalities in health outcomes as measured by  (a) infant mortality and  (b) life expectancy at birth by ten per cent. by 2010 in (i) the London strategic health authority area, (ii) the London borough of Newham and (iii) England.

Caroline Flint: On infant mortality, the latest figures confirm the previously reported trend for England that, despite continuing improvements in infant mortality rates among all groups, the relative gap between routine and manual groups and the population as a whole has widened over recent years since the target baseline. The latest data, for 2002-04, show the infant mortality rate for the whole population (for all those with valid social class) was 4.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 5.9 per 1,000 for those in routine and manual groups. The gap in the rate between routine and manual groups and the population as a whole was 19 per cent. in 2002-04, compared with 13 per cent. in the baseline period of 1997-99. This gap has remained unchanged since 2001-03.
	The infant mortality target is a national target. The Department is exploring ways of interpreting historical data to try and assess progress on the infant mortality target at local level and is not routinely monitored at local level.
	Life expectancy has increased for both males and females for England as a whole but it has improved more slowly in the spearhead group of local authority areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators. In England, average life expectancy for males is 76.6 and for females 80.9, in the spearhead group it is 74.6 for males and 79.4 for females. The slower rate of improvement in has led to a widening of the relative gap in life expectancy between England and the spearhead group. The latest data for 2002-04, show that the average life expectancy in the Spearhead Group was 2.60 per cent. lower than the England average for males, and 1.90 per cent. lower than the England average for females. Therefore, the relative gap has widened by one per cent. for men and eight per cent. for women since the baseline, 1995-97.
	Five of the 11 spearhead local authority areas covered by the London strategic health authority are making sufficient progress to narrow the life expectancy gap for both men and women in line with target of reducing the gap by 10 per cent. by 2010. A further four areas are on track to narrow the gap for males or females. The remaining two areas are currently off track to meet the 2010 target.
	The London borough of Newham is on track to narrow the gap for males but not females.
	13 out of 70 spearhead areas in England are making sufficient progress to meet the target by 10 per cent. by 2010 for both men and women. A further 29 areas are on track to narrow their share of the gap for males or females. The remaining 28 areas are currently off track to meet their share of the 2010 target. The information is set out in the following lists:
	 Male and Female LE off track
	Barking and Dagenham
	Islington
	Bolton
	Oldham
	Salford
	Wigan
	Liverpool
	Rotherham
	North Tyneside
	South Tyneside
	Sunderland
	Sandwell
	Bradford
	Wakefield
	Hartlepool
	Middlesbrough
	Halton
	Blackpool
	Kingston upon Hull, City of
	North East Lincolnshire
	Leicester
	Nottingham
	Stoke-on-Trent
	Barrow-in-Furness
	Bolsover
	Easington
	Burnley
	Pendle
	 Male LE only on track
	Lewisham
	Newham
	Manchester
	Knowsley
	Wirral
	Walsall
	Blackburn with Darwen
	Chester-le-Street
	Sedgefield
	Wear Valley
	Preston
	Lincoln
	Corby
	Wansbeck
	Tamworth
	 Female LE only on track
	Greenwich
	Haringey
	Bury
	Rochdale
	Tameside
	Barnsley
	Doncaster
	Gateshead
	Newcastle upon Tyne
	Birmingham
	Wolverhampton
	Redcar and Cleveland
	Rossendale
	Blyth Valley
	 Male and female LE both on track
	Hackney
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Lambeth
	Southwark
	Tower Hamlets
	St. Helens
	Coventry
	Stockton-on-Tees
	Warrington
	Carlisle
	Derwentside
	Hyndburn
	Nuneaton and Bedworth
	 Note:
	This analysis is based on a point estimates for life expectancy and we are investigating the stability of the assessment.

Influenza

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what preparations her Department has made for the 2006-07 influenza season.

Caroline Flint: A letter from the chief medical officer informing the national health service of the plans for the 2006-07 influenza programme was published on 29 June 2006. This explained the detail of the new programme, reported the vaccine supply issues, and advised on prioritisation.
	A further letter was sent in September by the Department to general practitioners to provide an update on vaccine supply issues.

Mental Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was allocated for research into the causes of child and adolescent mental health in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The main agency through which the Government supports biomedical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Innovation.
	The MRC's expenditure on projects related to the causes of child and adolescent mental health in each of the last 10 years was as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 1996-97 2.23 
			 1997-98 2.43 
			 1998-99 2.70 
			 1999-2000 3.82 
			 2000-01(1) 3.14 
			 2001-02 2.81 
			 2002-03 3.82 
			 2003-04 3.27 
			 2004-05 1.94 
			 2005-06 (2)2.5 
			 (1) Expenditure figures prior to 2000-01 are not directly comparable with those after that date as expenditure on Fellowships is not available for the earlier years.  (2 )Estimated. 
		
	
	The purpose of most of the Department's centrally funded research concerned with child and adolescent mental health has been to support policy and provide the evidence needed to underpin quality improvement and service development in the national health service. Departmental expenditure on research projects(1) related to the causes of mental ill heath in children and adolescents is shown in the following table:
	(1 )Includes three national child and adolescent mental health surveys.
	
		
			million( 1) 
			 1996-97 Not available 
			 1997-98 0.2 
			 1998-99 0.8 
			 1999-2000 0.4 
			 2000-01 0.1 
			 2001-02 0.5 
			 2002-03 0.5 
			 2003-04 0.8 
			 2004-05 0.7 
			 2005-06 0.1 
			 (1) Includes the full cost of two projects jointly funded with the Home Office.

Mental Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children and adolescents were prescribed drugs for mental health problems in each of the last 10 years, broken down by primary care trust; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 20 March 2006,  Official Report, column 166W.

Mental Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many crisis resolution teams dedicated to children and adolescent mental health problems were in place in each of the last 10 years, broken down by primary care trust; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Crisis resolution teams were established for people aged 16 to 65 years old with severe mental illness, for example schizophrenia, manic depressive disorders, severe depressive disorder, in an acute psychiatric crisis of such severity that, without the involvement of a crisis resolution/home treatment team, hospitalisation would be necessary. In a survey undertaken earlier this year 243 teams were identified.
	In tracking progress towards the public service agreement target of a comprehensive child and adolescent mental health service in every area by the end of 2006 the Department is collecting information about the availability of a 24-hour, seven days a week emergency service for children and young people aged 17 or younger. At the end of June 2006, the latest date for which information is available, 85.5 per cent. of primary care trusts were commissioning such a service.

Mental Health

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to improve services in secure mental health units.

Rosie Winterton: The impetus for improving the quality of services in secure mental health units comes through the contract negotiation process between the commissioners and providers of such services.
	More generally, the Healthcare Commission provides an independent overseeing view on the performance of organisations providing secure mental health services, in the same way that they do for other health care providers. The commission has a wide range of responsibilities, all aimed at improving the quality of health care.

Mental Health

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with other Government departments on improving services at secure mental health units.

Rosie Winterton: The Department and the Home Office are the Government Departments with the greatest interest in secure mental health units. The Home Office interest stems from their responsibility for restricted patients who enter secure mental health units through the criminal justice system.
	Health and Offender Partnerships, based in the Department, has responsibility for the health and criminal justice system interface and, on an ongoing basis, enables, where appropriate, a joint approach between the Department and the Home Office national offender management service to the development and improvement of secure mental health provision.
	The dangerous and severe personality disorder is an example where the Home Office, the Department, the Prison Service and the national health service have come together to deliver new mental health services for people who are, or have previously been, considered dangerous as a result of severe personality disorder.

National Blood Service Centre, Newcastle

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time employees are employed at the National Blood Service Centre at Barrack Road, Newcastle upon Tyne; and what plans she has for the centre.

Caroline Flint: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), of which the National Blood Service (NBS) is an operating division, is currently developing a strategic plan. This will address how NHSBT must adapt to the challenges it faces in a rapidly changing health service and to continue to deliver the high quality services that patients need. This strategy is due to be presented to the board later this year, and therefore no decisions have been made yet.
	However, one of the draft proposals is for the NBS to consolidate testing and processing into three main centres. These draft proposals will not impact upon the service to hospitals and there are no proposals to close any blood donation sessions. The NBS will continue to provide critical services to hospitals (such as continuing to have a network of local blood banks to meet orders for blood) and is looking to broaden the choice of places where people can donate.
	The NBS employs 372 whole time equivalents in Newcastle, including those out-posted staff on mobile blood collection teams.

NHS Trust Statistics

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) emergency re-admissions and  (b) delayed discharges there were in each NHS trust in each quarter of the last three years.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 23 October 2006
	Robust emergency re-admissions data for the last three years are not available in the form requested. The Healthcare Commission has published information broken down by trust as part of annual star ratings assessments, which is available on its website at:
	 2005 ratings values, covering the calendar year 2004
	ratings2005.healthcarecommission.org.uk/Trust/results/indicatorResults.asp?indicatorId=1403
	 2004 ratings values, covering the calendar year 2003
	ratings2004.healthcarecommission.org.uk/Trust/results/indicatorResults.asp?indicatorId=1403
	 2002-03 ratings, covering the calendar year 2002
	www.chi.nhs.uk/Ratings/Trust/results/indicatorResults.asp?indicatorId=1026
	A table of the data relating to the number of delayed discharges there were in each national health service trust in each quarter of the last three years has been placed in the Library.

NICE

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will change the remit and scope of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence investigations to allow it to take into account the wider benefits to families of patients and society that can arise from drug treatments.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 18 October 2006
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) already takes factors such as wider benefits to patients' families and society into account where it is appropriate to do so. For example, NICE's economic modelling on its work for the appraisal of drugs for Alzheimer's disease has included an assessment of the impact of benefits accruing to carers.

Oxygen Deliveries

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 October to question reference 90232, how many and what percentage of oxygen deliveries have been incomplete since the introduction of the new contract, broken down by trust.

Andy Burnham: The Department receives reports from all suppliers on the overall number of failed deliveries to track supplier progress by home oxygen service region. These data show evidence of continuing improvement in service delivery to the required response times.
	However, the Department does not collect or hold centrally information on failed deliveries in the form requested. Suppliers are required to provide performance data on meeting delivery times directly to primary care trusts, which have responsibility for the day-to-day local management of this service.

Oxygen Deliveries

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints her Department has received in 2006 about the oxygen supply service run by  (a) Air Products,  (b) BOC and  (c) community pharmacists.

Andy Burnham: From 1 January to 12 October 2006, the Department received 222 letters about the home oxygen service. Of these, 88 mentioned Air Products, 40 mentioned BOC Gases and 94 mentioned community pharmacy. Not all the correspondence relating to these service providers are complaints about the service provided to patients and many of these letters refer to one or more service providers.
	However, problems emerged in the delivery of this service in the early days of managing the transfer of patients receiving a cylinder service from community pharmacies to new suppliers such as Air Products and BOC. We have been working closely with the NHS, including community pharmacists, and all new suppliers to address these problems. New suppliers are required to provide primary care trusts with regular data on the number of complaints as part of performance management of this service contract. The Department also receives high-level complaints data from suppliers as part of monitoring the implementation of these service changes. These data demonstrate improved action by new suppliers to reduce the numbers of complaints received.

Partnerships for Health

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff are employed under the auspices of partnerships for health and at what cost to the public purse; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Partnerships for health is a joint venture company established to deliver the national health service (NHS) local improvement finance trust initiative on behalf of the Department. It currently directly employs nine staff, none of whom are direct charges to the public purse. It also funds the cost of one secondee from the NHS.
	Partnerships for health charges fees for its services and these fees are the principal source of funds for the cost of the employees.

Partnerships UK

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on private sector consultants working under contract to Partnerships UK in each fiscal year since 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	This is a matter for Partnerships UK, a registered public limited liability company.

Payment by Results

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of how the move to payment by results will affect the commissioning and provision of specialised services for those with long-term conditions; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what progress has been made with the implementation of the 11 quality requirements published in the National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions in March 2005; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what advice she has given to  (a) local authority social services and  (b) NHS trusts on the implementation of the National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Since publication of the national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions, the Department has co-ordinated a range of activity to help local authority social care organisations and national health service bodies take forward implementation of the NSF.
	This includes:
	working with key NHS, social care, voluntary and independent sector stakeholders, as well as service users and carers, to identify and address key issues in neurological services and the stakeholders' role in implementation;
	ensuring that other key delivery programmes, most especially the White Paper Our Health, Our Care, Our Say and the long-term conditions strategy help deliver key NSF objectives; and
	working with the care services improvement partnership to promote implementation of the NSF through a co-ordinated work programme, including regional workshops, a web-based getting started pack and self-assessment tool for services.
	Progress on implementation will be measured in a number of ways, including:
	research studies commissioned as part of a national research initiative to underpin implementation of the NSF, to provide baseline data needed to measure the subsequent impact of the NSF;
	work to develop a national minimum dataset for long-term neurological conditions; and
	implementation of clinical indicators developed as part of the better metrics programme.
	The effect of payment by results (PbR) on specialised services for people with long-term conditions will vary. Some specialised services, such as AIDS/HIV anti-retrovirals, are not included in PbR and do not have a national tariff. Others, such as treatment for epilepsy, have a national tariff. We are always seeking to refine PbR so it provides fair reimbursement for specialist activity. To achieve this we regularly solicit feedback from the NHS and other stakeholders, including through an annual questionnaire.

PFI Schemes

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total capital value is of each private finance initiative scheme overseen by her Department which has reached financial close, broken down by scheme; and, for each such scheme,  (a) over what period repayments will take place and  (b) what the total cost of repayment will be.

Andy Burnham: The table which has been placed in the Library gives details of private finance initiative schemes which have reached financial close including capital value, unitary payments and period of concession.

Premature Births

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many premature births there have been in each year since 1979  (a) in total and  (b) expressed as a proportion of all births.

Ivan Lewis: Information on the number of premature births between 1979 and 1988 is not collected centrally. Information on the number of pre-term births in each year since 1989 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of pre-term deliveries and as a proportion of all deliveries, NHS hospitals, England, 1989-2004, type of episode: (2) Delivery episode and (5) Other delivery event 
			   Deliveries less than 37 weeks gestation length  Total deliveries  Deliveries less than 37 weeks gestation length as a percentage of all deliveries 
			 2004-05 26,505 597,947 4 
			 2003-04 25,293 583,757 4 
			 2002-03 23,122 556,658 4 
			 2001-02 32,545 546,982 6 
			 2000-01 27,226 538,890 5 
			 1999-2000 29,519 567,806 5 
			 1989-99 26,450 606,736 4 
			 1997-98 23,268 599,755 4 
			 1996-97 28,601 620,903 5 
			 1995-96 30,976 577,254 5 
			 1994-95 82,464 643,607 13 
			 1993-94 27,652 594,045 5 
			 1992-93 30,824 593,195 5 
			 1991-92 27,269 586,948 5 
			 1990-91 20,439 564,480 4 
			 1989-90 20,323 499,890 4 
			  Notes: 1. There are a large proportion of deliveries with unknown gestation length, therefore these figures should be interpreted with caution as the percentage of unknowns vary from 23 per cent. to 50 per cent. from year to year. 2. The term premature is no longer in use. Births completed before 37 weeks of gestation are defined as pre-term.  Finished consultant episode (FCE): An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.  Data quality: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 national health service trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The information centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Source: HES, The Information Centre for health and social care

Prisons

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the processes for the appointment of medical practitioners within the prison service; what guidance is provided concerning the appointment and use of locums; what assessment she has made of the use of locums in the provision of prison healthcare services; and what funding is available to provide temporary cover for medical services in prisons.

Rosie Winterton: Primary care trusts (PCTs) commission health and medical services for prisons to standards and equivalent in quality and range to that available in the wider national health service (NHS). Mainstream NHS processes therefore apply to the recruitment of medical staff and locum staff in prisons.
	Funding for temporary cover must come from the allocations PCTs receive to commission prison health services. The use of locum staff is therefore a matter for PCTs.

Prisons

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the provision of pharmacy services in prisons.

Rosie Winterton: The Government are committed to providing a health service to prisoners that is equivalent in quality and range to that in the wider community. Primary care trusts (PCTs) which host prisons became responsible for commissioning services, including pharmacy, to meet the healthcare needs of prisoners in April 2006.
	In June 2003, A Pharmacy Service for Prisoners, published by HM Prison Service and the Department, made a number of recommendations for the development of more patient-focused, primary care-based pharmacy services based on identified need, which support and promote self-care. Regional pharmacy leads were appointed to oversee baseline assessments and action plans for modernising pharmacy services in each establishment and considerable progress to meeting the recommendations of this report has already been made.

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting times are to see a cardiology consultant at the Royal Sussex county hospital in Brighton.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is only available at trust level. The information in the following table details hospital waiting times for first out-patient attendance for the cardiology specialty at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust. The information is based on patients not yet seen at the end of the quarter ending 30 June 2006 who have been waiting after a general practitioner referral.
	
		
			  Waiting times in weeks  Cardiology 
			  Not Seen  
			 0 to 1 60 
			 1 to 2 72 
			 2 to 3 63 
			 3 to 4 66 
			 4 to 5 42 
			 5 to 6 48 
			 6 to 7 40 
			 7 to 8 51 
			 8 to 9 31 
			 9 to 10 21 
			 10 to 11 29 
			 11 to 12 3 
			 12 to 13 5 
			 13 to 14 0 
			 14 to 15 0 
			 15 to 16 0 
			 16 to 17 0 
			 17+ 0 
			  Source:  Department of Health QM08.

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average time that patients waited to be treated in the accident and emergency department of the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: The Department does not collect data at individual hospital level. For quarter one 2006-07, 97.8 per cent. of patients that attended all types of accident and emergency department at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals National Health Service Trust were admitted, transferred or discharged in under four hours.

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting time is to see an  (a) paediatric and  (b) dermatology consultant at the Royal Sussex county hospital in Brighton.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is only available at trust level. The information in the table details the hospital waiting times for first out-patient attendance for paediatrics specialties and dermatology specialty at the Brighton and Sussex University hospitals national health service trust for 2004-05. This information is based on patients not yet seen at the end of the quarter ending 30 June 2006 who have been waiting after a general practitioner referral.
	
		
			  Waiting times in weeks  Paediatric dentistry  Paediatric surgery  Paediatrics  Dermatology 
			  Not seen 
			 0 to 1 1 28 34 147 
			 1 to 2 0 23 34 201 
			 2 to 3 2 5 34 156 
			 3 to 4 0 7 23 98 
			 4 to 5 0 2 16 71 
			 5 to 6 0 0 24 74 
			 6 to 7 0 2 20 51 
			 7 to 8 0 2 29 49 
			 8 to 9 0 2 11 29 
			 9 to 10 0 1 20 13 
			 10 to 11 0 0 4 8 
			 11 to 12 0 1 3 1 
			 12 to 13 0 0 0 2 
			 13 to 14 0 0 0 0 
			 14 to 15 0 0 0 0 
			 15 to 16 0 0 0 0 
			 16 to 17 0 0 0 0 
			 17+ 0 0 0 0 
			  Source:  Department of Health QM08

Scanners

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) magnetic resonance imaging and  (b) computerised axial tomography scanners were purchased in each of the last 30 years.

Rosie Winterton: Historically, the Department has not retained details of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerised axiel tomography (CT) scanners.
	At the end of 1999 data collection commenced for MRI scanners (to aid the new opportunities fund cancer programme), and in 2000 for CT scanners (to aid the capital investment programme).
	The total installed base to date for the national health service in England is 372 CT and 284 MRI. This reflects data from 1997 onwards. The figures include replacement and additional equipment.
	
		
			   MRI  CT 
			 1997 4 16 
			 1998 24 20 
			 1999 19 34 
			 2000 18 28 
			 2001 36 77 
			 2002 22 61 
			 2003 28 42 
			 2004 40 38 
			 2005 53 41 
			 2006 36 10 
			 Total 280 367 
		
	
	The remaining scanners installed before 1997 are currently being replaced, (four MRI and five CT).
	The Department has commissioned work with the health protection agency (HPA) to identify and compile a national equipment and utilisation database. This project is expected to report in spring 2007.

Smoke Free Premises and Vehicles

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the publication of the consultation paper on Smoke-Free Premises and Vehicles, whether local authorities will be compensated under the New Burdens Principle for increased litter removal costs.

Caroline Flint: The smoke-free provisions within the Health Act 2006 will see virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces become smoke-free. In the 'Choosing Health' White Paper, the Government committed to the New Burdens Doctrine to fund local authorities for work in support of the implementation of initiatives within the White Paper, including the enforcement of smoke-free legislation.
	The Department is currently in discussions with the Local Government Association on funding for local authorities to enforce smoke-free legislation. The Department does not intend to stipulate exactly how local authorities should use funding that will be provided.

South East Coast SHA

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what forecast she has made of the out-turn against planned expenditure of the NHS South East Coast strategic health authority at the end of financial year 2006-07.

Andy Burnham: National health service organisations have a statutory duty to deliver a balanced budget and the responsibility for ensuring that this happens rests with NHS South East Coast. The 2006-07 quarter 1 forecast out-turn position for the total SHA economy for the NHS South East Coast shows a deficit of 94 million.

Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the most common reason for  (a) out-patient and  (b) in-patient admissions to Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport was in each of the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not available in the format requested. Information for the Stockport national health service foundation trust relating to the most common cause of in-patient admissions for the three most recent years where figures are available has been set out as follows:
	2002-03other cataract
	2003-04liveborn infants according to place of birth
	2004-05other cataract
	Unfortunately, data relating to out-patient admissions are not available in a sufficiently robust form.
	 Notes:
	 Finished admission episodes
	A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	 Ungrossed data
	Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data, i.e. the data are ungrossed.
	 Diagnosis (primary diagnosis)
	The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (7 prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.

Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of in-patient admissions to Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport in each of the last three years were recorded as alcohol-related.

Caroline Flint: Then information is not available in the format requested. However, the number of alcohol related admissions at the Stockport National Health Service Foundation Trust is as follows:
	
		
			   Alcohol related admissions  Percentage 
			 2002-03 205 from a total of 66,816 0.31 
			 2003-04 276 from a total of 69,180 0.40 
			 2004-05 379 from a total of 70,949 0.53 
			 Notes: 1. Finished admission episodes: A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. Ungrossed data: Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data, i.e. the data are ungrossed. 3. Codes used for alcohol-related admissions: F10mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol K70alcoholic liver disease T51toxic effect of alcohol. 4. Diagnosis (primary diagnosis): The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) dataset and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care

Turnaround Teams

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many staff are employed by each turnaround team; and what is the breakdown by profession of each team;
	(2)  how much  (a) has been spent so far and  (b) is estimated to be spent over the next 12 months by the NHS on turnaround teams; and how much has been spent by (i) her Department, (ii) individual NHS trusts, (iii) strategic health authorities and (iv) other bodies in relation to such teams;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of the value for money of turnaround teams in the NHS; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: A number of hospital trusts and primary care trusts have estimated the relationship between the spending on turnaround and the savings made. These indicate that the average spend as a percentage of in-year savings is 3 per cent. The majority of the savings are recurrent and so will be made in future financial savings while the spend on turnaround is usually entirely one-off expenditure. These estimates have been based upon a small sample group and therefore must be treated with caution.
	Turnaround plans are owned and developed locally, with the support of external advisers. PCTs/Trusts take local responsibility for selecting and procuring advisors through formal tender processes and tailor these teams to the scale and type of local requirements.
	The Department will spend in 2005-06 and 2006-07 about 11 million (excluding value added tax and expenses) on the turnaround programme at a national and strategic health authority level covering local baseline assessments, a national programme office, one-off local support payments and SHA turnaround directors.

Volatile Substance Abuse

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will seek to legislate to reduce the size of the can in which butane cigarette lighter fuel can be sold.

Caroline Flint: We are working closely with the industry supplying cigarette lighter refills to identify the most practicable way of making these less susceptible to abuse, with a view to reaching a voluntary agreement on the way forward.

Volatile Substance Abuse

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to implement the volatile substance abusers framework since June 2005.

Caroline Flint: Since the volatile substance abusers (VSA) framework was published in July 2005, three working groups involving stakeholders have been established to help Government Departments implement and develop further the priority actions set out in the framework. There are three groupsbutane, education and communication, and workforce planning.
	We expect to discuss progress to date and priorities for further action with our VSA stakeholders' group before the end of this year. Good progress has been made in including VSA issues within the FRANK campaign, including its helpline. Progress has been made in identifying research needs, with a study on the views of young people themselves having been published in March 2006. Work is under way to identify options further to limit the availability of butane refills for abuse by young people, including better enforcement of the current legal restrictions on sale to young people under 18.

Volatile Substance Abuse

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will reissue the Health Promotion Agency leaflets giving information for retailers on the dangers of volatile substance abuse.

Caroline Flint: While this was not a recommendation in the volatile substance abuse framework published in July 2005, we will discuss the priority to be given to this proposal with stakeholders.

Volatile Substance Abuse

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government have renewed the contract with St George's, university of London, to produce the annual report 'Trends in Death Associated with Abuse of Volatile Substances for the year 2005'; when the contract for developing Network VSA will be let; and how it will be monitored.

Caroline Flint: The Department supports and values the work undertaken by St. George's university of London who produce the annual report on deaths associated with volatile substance abuse. The Department is currently in the process of making arrangements for the renewal of a contract.
	The idea of a project for developing the Network VSA was part of the framework published in 2005. Budget changes have prevented any early decision being taken on the letting of the contract. The issue will be considered alongside other proposals at the next volatile substance abuse stakeholders' meeting, which will be held shortly.

Welfare Food Scheme

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government has taken to raise awareness of the Welfare Food Scheme amongst pregnant women.

Caroline Flint: Awareness of the Welfare Food Scheme has been promoted to pregnant women in a number of ways. The booklet entitled 'Free Milk for pregnant women' is widely available in doctors' surgeries, health clinics, Job Centre Plus offices, Citizens Advice Bureaus as well as through health visitors and midwives. In addition, posters promoting this scheme have also been made widely available. All relevant Department of Health publications refer to the availability of free milk for pregnant women.
	The Welfare Food Scheme will become the Healthy Start scheme in November this year. Under Healthy Start, there will be enhanced promotion of the availability of Healthy Start vouchers for all eligible pregnant women including pregnant women under 18. Health professionals will receive an information pack to help them signpost the scheme to relevant families, and help them get the most out of the scheme.

Welfare Food Scheme

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of qualifying pregnant women claim the free vitamins to which they are entitled under the Welfare Food Scheme and Healthy Start.

Caroline Flint: The proportion of eligible pregnant women claiming free vitamins cannot be estimated, as there has not been a dedicated women's vitamin supplement available under the Welfare Food Scheme for several years. Pregnant women have been directed to their GP to obtain a prescription for vitamins, if this is required.
	Free Healthy Start vitamin supplements for beneficiaries of the scheme are expected to be available for children in late 2006 and for women in mid 2007.
	Women's vitamin tablets will be offered to beneficiaries who are pregnant or have recently had a baby. This vitamin supplement will be provided to women for up to 12 months following the birth of their baby. Children will be entitled to vitamin drops from six months to four years under Healthy Start.

Welfare Food Scheme

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many retail outlets in England  (a) accept milk tokens under the Welfare Food Scheme and  (b) will accept vouchers under the Healthy Start Scheme from November.

Caroline Flint: The approximate number of retailers that accept milk tokens in Great Britain is 19,100 of which 15,250 are estimated to be in England. Some of these retailers have multiple retail outlets across Great Britain (GB).
	Under Healthy Start the recruitment target for retailers across GB is 35,000 covering over 40,000 retail outlets. Based on the current proportions under the welfare food scheme, the number of participating Healthy Start retailers in England is expected to be about 29,000.
	Approximately 1,000 retailers are participating in phase one of Healthy Start, introduced in Devon and Cornwall on 28 November 2005. This compares to 500 registered under the previous welfare food scheme.

Worthing Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect she expects the proposed changes to services offered by Worthing hospital to have on the NHS South East Coast strategic health authority deficit.

Caroline Flint: The configuration of hospital services in Worthing and financial position of NHS South East Coast are matters for the local national health service.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been granted in  (a) Derbyshire and  (b) Bolsover constituency since their introduction.

Tony McNulty: A table giving the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued annually, as reported to the Home Office by the Court Service, by the local government authority area in which prohibitions have been imposed, up to 30 September 2005 (latest available), can be found on the Crime Reduction website at www.crimereduction.gov.uk. ASBO data are not available at parliamentary constituency level.

Asylum/Immigration

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on returning Tamil asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: All asylum and human rights applications from Tamils are considered by the Home Office on their individual merits, in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and against the background of the latest available objective country of origin information.
	In common with other failed asylum seekers, Tamils found not to be in need of international protection after consideration of their case, and who have exhausted any appeal rights they might have within the UK, are expected to leave the UK and may have their removal enforced.

Asylum/Immigration

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the nationalities were of applicants for leave to remain in the UK in  (a) 2004-05 and  (b) 2005-06.

Liam Byrne: The requested information is contained in the lists.
	 In-country applications for all leave to remain categories in the UK by nationality for the following dates:
	 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005
	Afghanistan
	Albania
	Algeria
	Angola
	Antigua and Barbuda
	Argentina
	Armenia
	Australia
	Azerbaijan
	Bahamas
	Bahrain
	Bangladesh
	Barbados
	Belarus
	Belize
	Benin
	Bolivia
	Bosnia-Herzegovina
	Botswana
	Brazil
	British Citizen
	British National (Overseas)
	British Overseas Citizen
	Brunei
	Bulgaria
	Burkina Faso
	Burundi
	Cambodia (Kampuchea)
	Cameroon
	Canada
	Cape Verde
	Central African Republic
	Chad
	Chile
	China (Peoples Republic of China)
	Colombia
	Congo
	Congo Democratic Republic
	Costa Rica
	Croatia
	Cuba
	Cyprus (excluding Turkish Republic of North Cyprus)
	Czech Republic
	Djibouti
	Dominica
	Dominican Republic
	Ecuador
	Egypt
	El Salvador
	Equatorial Guinea
	Eritrea
	Estonia
	Ethiopia
	Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
	Fiji
	Gabon
	Gambia
	Georgia
	Germany
	Ghana
	Grenada
	Guatemala
	Guinea
	Guinea-Bissau
	Guyana
	Honduras
	Hong Kong SAR of China (Holder of Certificate of Identity or Document of Identity)
	Hong Kong SAR of China (Holder of Special Administrative Region Passport)
	Hungary
	India
	Indonesia
	Iran
	Iraq
	Israel
	Italy
	Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivire)
	Jamaica
	Japan
	Jordan
	Kazakhstan
	Kenya
	Korea (North)
	Korea (South)
	Kosovo
	Kuwait
	Kyrgyzstan
	Latvia
	Lebanon
	Lesotho
	Liberia
	Libya (Arab Republic)
	Lithuania
	Macau
	Macedonia (former Yugoslav Republic of)
	Madagascar (Malagasy Republic)
	Malawi
	Malaysia
	Maldives
	Mali
	Mauritania
	Mauritius
	Mexico
	Moldova
	Mongolia
	Morocco
	Mozambique
	Myanmar (Burma)
	Namibia
	Nationality currently unknown
	Nationality unknown officially designated as Stateless
	Nauru
	Nepal
	New Zealand
	Nicaragua
	Niger
	Nigeria
	Oman
	Pakistan
	Palestine
	Panama
	Papua New Guinea
	Paraguay
	Peru
	Philippines
	Poland
	Portugal
	Qatar
	Romania
	Russia
	Rwanda
	Samoa
	Saudi Arabia
	Senegal
	Serbia
	Serbia and Montenegro
	Seychelles
	Sierra Leone
	Singapore
	Slovakia
	Somalia
	South Africa
	Spain
	Sri Lanka
	St. Kitts and Nevis
	St. Lucia
	St. Vincent and the Grenadines
	Sudan
	Surinam
	Swaziland
	Syria
	Taiwan
	Tajikistan
	Tanzania
	Thailand
	Togo
	Tonga
	Trinidad and Tobago
	Tunisia
	Turkey
	Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
	Turkmenistan
	Uganda
	Ukraine
	United Arab Emirates
	United Nations Other
	United States of America
	Uruguay
	Uzbekistan
	Venezuela
	Vietnam
	Yemen
	Yugoslavia
	Zambia
	Zimbabwe
	 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006
	Afghanistan
	Albania
	Algeria
	Angola
	Antigua and Barbuda
	Argentina
	Armenia
	Australia
	Azerbaijan
	Bahamas
	Bahrain
	Bangladesh
	Barbados
	Belarus
	Belize
	Benin
	Bolivia
	Bosnia-Herzegovina
	Botswana
	Brazil
	British Citizen
	British National (Overseas)
	British Overseas Citizen
	Brunei
	Bulgaria
	Burkina Faso
	Burundi
	Cambodia (Kampuchea)
	Cameroon
	Canada
	Cape Verde
	Chad
	Chile
	China (Peoples Republic of China)
	Colombia
	Congo
	Congo Democratic Republic
	Costa Rica
	Croatia
	Cuba
	Cyprus (excluding Turkish Republic of North Cyprus)
	Czech Republic
	Dominica
	Dominican Republic
	Ecuador
	Egypt
	El Salvador
	Eritrea
	Estonia
	Ethiopia
	Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
	Fiji
	Gabon
	Gambia
	Georgia
	Ghana
	Grenada
	Guatemala
	Guinea
	Guinea-Bissau
	Guyana
	Honduras
	Hong Kong SAR of China (Holder of Certificate of Identity or Document of Identity)
	Hong Kong SAR of China (Holder of Special Administrative Region Passport)
	Hungary
	India
	Indonesia
	Iran
	Iraq
	Israel
	Italy
	Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivire)
	Jamaica
	Japan
	Jordan
	Kazakhstan
	Kenya
	Korea (North)
	Korea (South)
	Kosovo
	Kuwait
	Kyrgyzstan
	Latvia
	Lebanon
	Lesotho
	Liberia
	Libya (Arab Republic)
	Lithuania
	Macau
	Macedonia (former Yugoslav Republic of)
	Madagascar (Malagasy Republic)
	Malawi
	Malaysia
	Maldives
	Mali
	Mauritania
	Mauritius
	Mexico
	Moldova
	Mongolia
	Morocco
	Mozambique
	Myanmar (Burma)
	Namibia
	Nationality currently unknown
	Nationality unknown officially designated as Stateless
	Nauru
	Nepal
	Netherlands
	New Zealand
	Nicaragua
	Niger
	Nigeria
	Oman
	Pakistan
	Palestine
	Panama
	Papua New Guinea
	Paraguay
	Peru
	Philippines
	Poland
	Portugal
	Qatar
	Romania
	Russia
	Rwanda
	Samoa
	Saudi Arabia
	Senegal
	Serbia
	Serbia and Montenegro
	Seychelles
	Sierra Leone
	Singapore
	Solomon Islands
	Somalia
	South Africa
	Sri Lanka
	Stateless RefugeeDefined 1951 Convention
	St. Kitts and Nevis
	St. Lucia
	St. Vincent and the Grenadines
	Sudan
	Swaziland
	Syria
	Taiwan
	Tajikistan
	Tanzania
	Thailand
	Togo
	Tonga
	Trinidad and Tobago
	Tunisia
	Turkey
	Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
	Turkmenistan
	Uganda
	Ukraine
	United Arab Emirates
	United States of America
	Uruguay
	Uzbekistan
	Venezuela
	Vietnam
	Yemen
	Yugoslavia
	Zambia
	Zimbabwe
	 Source:
	Business Objects refreshed 18 October 2006
	The information contained in the lists refers to main applicants only, not their dependants and is based on figures being rounded up to the nearest 10. This information has not been quality assured, is not a National Statistic and should be treated as provisional management information.

Asylum/Immigration

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what power his proposed advisory group on immigration will have to recommend limits on the issuing of work permits under the proposed points-based system for migration; whether the issuing of work permits will be affected in any other way by his proposed advisory group; and what plans he has to change the proposals contained in Controlling our Borders: Making Migration Work for Britain.

Liam Byrne: We will consult shortly on the establishment of a Migration Advisory Committee, which would advise Government on where in the economy migration might sensibly fill skills gaps. We will make clear when we consult on the committee what we think its remit should be, including how it relates to the proposals for a skills advisory body set out in Controlling our Borders: Making Migration Work for Britain.

Asylum/Immigration

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases there are where the time period for exceptional leave to remain (ELR) has expired, an application for indefinite leave to remain has been made prior to the expiry of the ELR, but where the application has not yet been determined; what the average length of time was to reach a decision upon such an application in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The information is not available in the format requested and could be obtained by examination of individual records only at a disproportionate cost.

Cannabis

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many repeat offenders for possession of cannabis were arrested in each year between 2002 and 2005.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested is not available centrally. Information on arrests held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform is based on persons arrested for recorded crime notifiable offences by age group, gender, ethnicity and main offence group (i.e. drugs, robbery, theft and handling stolen goods, violence against the person, burglary etc.) only. It does not include information on previous offending. Information is therefore not available to the detail required.
	Previous offending is, however, taken into account locally by police officers in deciding whether to issue a caution, reprimand or final warning, or refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Community Call for Action

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he expects the Community Call for Action to be implemented.

Gerry Sutcliffe: In our policy paper 'Rebalancing the criminal justice system in favour of the law-abiding majority', published in July 2006, we said we would introduce the Community Call for Action by April 2008.

Departmental Telephone Numbers

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list telephone numbers available for use by members of the general public to contact his Department; what the purpose is of each; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The information is given in the table.
	
		
			  Number  Purpose  Type 
			 0870 521 0410 Passport advice line Phone 
			 0870 240 8090 Passport advice line Minicom 
			 0870 243 4477 Passport enquiries for High Street Partners Phone 
			 0870 2431902 Passport Complaints Phone 
			 0870 909 0778 Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure dispute line Phone 
			 0870 909 0844 Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure application line Phone 
			 0870 909 0344 Criminal Records Bureau Minicom 
			 0870 241 4680 Home Office's mailing house, Prolog Phone 
			 0870 241 4786 Home Office's mailing house, Prolog Fax 
			 0870 000 1585 Public Enquiries (new number: 020 7035 4848) Phone 
			 0870 220 2000 TOGETHER (advice line for practitioners on tackling antisocial behaviour). Phone 
			 0870 336 9031 Contact Private Office to John Reid Fax 
			 0870 336 9032 Contact Private Office to Baroness Scotland Fax 
			 0870 336 9033 Contact Private Office to Vernon Coaker Fax 
			 0870 336 9034 Contact Private Office to Liam Byrnes Fax 
			 0870 336 9035 Contact Private Office to Tony McNulty Fax 
			 0870 336 9036 Contact Private Office to Joan Ryan Fax 
			 0870 336 9038 Contact Private Office to Gerry Sutcliffe Fax 
			 0870 336 9048 Contact Parliamentary Branch Fax 
			 0870 336 9045 Contact Ministers' Special Advisers Phone 
			 0870 336 9041 Contact Private Office Management Support Unit Phone 
			 0870 336 9039 Contact Helen Edwards (Home Office Board Member) Phone 
			 0870 336 9037 Contact Permanent Secretary's Office Phone 
			 0870 606 1592 Immigration cases currently under consideration Phone 
			 0870 000 8518 Advice on preventing car crime (new number: 020 7035 4848) Phone 
			 0870 243 0100 Security Industry Authority Phone 
			 0800 389 7913 Asylum Support Adjudicators Phone 
			 0800 587 5572 Work Permits UK Helpline Phone 
			 0845 010 6677 Employers' Helpline Phone 
			 0845 039 8002 PROSPECTS helpline Phone 
			 0845 601 1143 IND Telephone Enquiry Bureau Fax 
			 0845 601 2298 IND Evidence and Enquiry line Phone 
			 0870 000 1397 HM Prison Service enquiries Phone 
			 0870 240 3781 Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau (enforcement and removals) Phone 
			 0845 300 2002 Independent Police Complaints Commission Phone 
			 0870 909 0811 Criminal Records Bureau information line Phone 
			 0870 909 0822 Criminal Records Bureau registration line Phone 
			 020 7035 4848 Enquiries about centralised Home Office responsibilities Phone 
			 020 7035 4745 Enquiries about centralised Home Office responsibilities Fax 
			 020 7035 4742 Enquiries about centralised Home Office responsibilities Minicom 
			 0845 602 1739 Enquiries about asylum support applications Phone 
			 0870 606 7766 Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau Phone 
			 0800 389 8289 Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau Minicom 
			 0870 241 0645 Requests for immigration application forms Phone 
			 0845 010 5200 Nationality telephone enquiries Phone 
			 0114 207 4074 Work Permit telephone enquiries Phone 
			 0870 521 0224 Request for work permit application forms Phone 
			 0121 704 5450 Booking appointments at Birmingham Public Enquiry Office Phone 
			 0151 237 0405 Booking appointments at Liverpool Public Enquiry Office Phone 
			 0151 237 0473 Booking appointments at Liverpool Public Enquiry Office Phone 
			 0845 600 0914 Voucher and discontinuation helpline Phone 
			 0141 555 1258 Booking appointments at Glasgow Public Enquiry Office Phone 
			 0870 241 6523 Enquiries about the work of the IND Complaints Unit and advice to callers about how to complain Phone 
			 020 8760 4310 Enquiries about the work of the IND Complaints Unit and advice to callers about how to complain Fax 
			 020 7008 8302 Enquiries relating to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Gulf States Fax 
			 020 7008 8361 Enquiries relating to Africa Fax 
			 020 7008 8359 Enquiries relating to rest of world Fax 
			 0845 010 5555 Enquiries about visas Phone 
			 020 7008 8457 Enquiries about visas Minicom 
			 01934 528740 Enquiries about Avon and Somerset Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01934 528797 Enquiries about Avon and Somerset Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01234 213541 Enquiries about Bedfordshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01234 327497 Enquiries about Bedfordshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01223 712345 Enquiries about Cambridgeshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01223 568822 Enquiries about Cambridgeshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01244 394500 Enquiries about Cheshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01244 394507 Enquiries about Cheshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01228 560057 Enquiries about Cumbria Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01228 561164 Enquiries about Cumbria Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01629 55422 Enquiries about Derbyshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01629 580838 Enquiries about Derbyshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01392 474100 Enquiries about Devon and Cornwall Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01392 413563 Enquiries about Devon and Cornwall Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01305 224786 Enquiries about Dorset Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01305 225097 Enquiries about Dorset Local Probation Area Fax 
			 0191 383 9083 Enquiries about Durham Local Probation Area Phone 
			 0191 383 7979 Enquiries about Durham Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01267 221567 Enquiries about Dyfed-Powys Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01267 221566 Enquiries about Dyfed-Powys Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01376 501626 Enquiries about Essex Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01376 501174 Enquiries about Essex Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01452 426250 Enquiries about Gloucestershire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01452 426239 Enquiries about Gloucestershire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 0161 872 4802 Enquiries about Greater Manchester Local Probation Area Phone 
			 0161 872 3483 Enquiries about Greater Manchester Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01495 762462 Enquiries about Gwent Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01495 762461 Enquiries about Gwent Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01962 842202 Enquiries about Hampshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01962 865278 Enquiries about Hampshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01992 504444 Enquiries about Hertfordshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01992 504544 Enquiries about Hertfordshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01482 867271 Enquiries about Humberside Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01482 864928 Enquiries about Humberside Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01622 350820 Enquiries about Kent Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01622 750333 Enquiries about Kent Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01772 201209 Enquiries about Lancashire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01772 884399 Enquiries about Lancashire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 0116 251 6008 Enquiries about Leicestershire and Rutland Local Probation Area Phone 
			 0116 242 3250 Enquiries about Leicestershire and Rutland Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01522 520776 Enquiries about Lincolnshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01522 527685 Enquiries about Lincolnshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 020 7222 5656 Enquiries about London Local Probation Area Phone 
			 020 7960 1188 Enquiries about London Local Probation Area Fax 
			 0151 920 9201 Enquiries about Merseyside Local Probation Area Phone 
			 0151 949 0528 Enquiries about Merseyside Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01603 220100 Enquiries about Norfolk Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01603 664019 Enquiries about Norfolk Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01604 658000 Enquiries about Northamptonshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01604 658004 Enquiries about Northamptonshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 0191 281 5721 Enquiries about Northumbria Local Probation Area Phone 
			 0191 281 3548 Enquiries about Northumbria Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01492 513413 Enquiries about North Wales Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01492 513373 Enquiries about North Wales Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01609 778644 Enquiries about North Yorkshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01609 778321 Enquiries about North Yorkshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01158 406500 Enquiries about Nottinghamshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01158 406502 Enquiries about Nottinghamshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01656 674747 Enquiries about South Wales Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01656 674799 Enquiries about South Wales Local Probation Area Fax 
			 0114 276 6911 Enquiries about South Yorkshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 0114 275 2868 Enquiries about South Yorkshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01785 22 3416 Enquiries about Staffordshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01785 223108 Enquiries about Staffordshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01473 408130 Enquiries about Suffolk Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01473 408136 Enquiries about Suffolk Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01483 860191 Enquiries about Surrey Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01483 860295 Enquiries about Surrey Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01273 227979 Enquiries about Sussex Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01273 620581 Enquiries about Sussex Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01642 230533 Enquiries about Teesside Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01642 220083 Enquiries about Teesside Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01869 255300 Enquiries about Thames Valley Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01869 255355 Enquiries about Thames Valley Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01926 405800 Enquiries about Warwickshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01926 403183 Enquiries about Warwickshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01562 748375 Enquiries about West Mercia Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01562 748407 Enquiries about West Mercia Local Probation Area Fax 
			 0121 248 6666 Enquiries about West Midlands Local Probation Area Phone 
			 0121 248 6667 Enquiries about West Midlands Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01924 885300 Enquiries about West Yorkshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01924 382256 Enquiries about West Yorkshire Local Probation Area Fax 
			 01225 781960 Enquiries about Wiltshire Local Probation Area Phone 
			 01225 781969 Enquiries about Wiltshire Local Probation Area Fax

European Community Association Agreement

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer question 30942, tabled by the hon. Member for Brent, East on 17 November 2005 on the European Community Association Agreement.

Liam Byrne: I replied to the hon. Member on 18 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1305W.

Foreign Criminals

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of people convicted in England and Wales in the last 12 months were non-British nationals.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform are not able to identify the nationality of people convicted in England and Wales.
	In a written ministerial statement of 23 May 2006,  Official Report, column 78WS, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary set out the eight priority areas to be addressed by the enforcement and criminal agencies involved in the deportation of foreign national prisoners. Points one and two of this plan tackle the absence of a unique personal identifier for individuals who come into contact with the criminal justice, immigration and asylum systems and that there is no legal requirement to provide evidence of nationality when in contact with the criminal justice system. My hon. Friend the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality set out the progress we are making against these areas in a written ministerial statement on 19 July 2006,  Official Report, column 29WS and will continue to update Parliament on progress.

Foreign Criminals

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign prisoners were deported in  (a) July,  (b) August and  (c) September 2006.

Liam Byrne: The information is not available in the format requested. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary set out in his statement to the House on 9 October 2006 that the Director General of the Immigration Nationality Directorate had written to the Home Affairs Committee on the same day. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library and it highlights deportation consideration and deportation action taken since April this year.

Foreign Nationals

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the policy of his Department is in relation to the issue of work permits for foreign nationals; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The work permit arrangements are a key part of the Government's managed migration strategy, which seeks to offer legal routes for the admission of foreign nationals who possess skills and qualifications that are in short supply here and who will contribute to the economy. We also wish to encourage and support inward investment. Work permit policy is designed to strike the right balance between enabling UK based employers to recruit or transfer skilled people from abroad and protecting job opportunities for resident workers.
	As part of our Five year Strategy for Asylum and Immigration, 'Controlling our Borders: Making Migration work for Britain' announced in 2005, we will be replacing the current routes for employment-related migration by a simpler, single points-based system. This was outlined in the Command paper 'A Points Based System: Making Migration Work for Britain' published on seven March 2006.

Identity Cards

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how citizens will be able to correct errors in the National Identity Register relating to their profile.

Joan Ryan: The implementation of the National Identity Scheme will include the introduction of measures to ensure that errors in an individual's record are avoided on application and thereafter, any error can be easily noted and quickly corrected.
	During the application process, a number of steps will help avoid errors. There will be:
	 (1) checks conducted on applicant information against information held on other databases which should enable errors to be highlighted. This is known as the biographical footprint check;
	 (2) an examination of relevant supporting documentation in advance or at the enrolment centre to ensure that it is valid and corresponds with information provided on the application form and the results from biographical footprint check;
	 (3) attendance in person to allow information to be clarified and checked with the applicant.
	Once an individual is enrolled on the National Identity Register, there will be a number of methods for the individual to review what information is held on their record. An individual will continue to be entitled to request a subject access request under the Data Protection Act to review their record; in addition, the Government have indicated that they intend to introduce an online facility where, subject to secure remote authentication, an individual will be able to review their record and thus, ensure that it is accurate. Should an individual notice an error on their record, they will be able to contact the Identity and Passport Service through a number of different channels to rectify the error, subject to secure remote authentication. At present, the channels being considered include post, telephone and internet.

Identity Cards

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what penalty fine system will apply under the proposed national identity card scheme.

Joan Ryan: The Identity Cards Act 2006 provides for civil financial penalties, rather than fines, in the following areas: failure to comply with a requirement relating to compulsory registration (section 7), failure to notify changes affecting the accuracy of an entry in the Register (section 10) and failure to surrender an invalid ID card (section 11). Penalties relating to compulsory registration may only come into force after further primary legislation.
	A fineas well as a custodial sentencemay be imposed by a criminal court for criminal offences set out in sections 25 to 30 of the Act. These offences are related to the possession of false identity documents or are targeted at criminal activities which may be undertaken by people involved in administering the scheme. Offences in this latter category include unauthorised disclosure of information from the Register and tampering with the Register.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the targets are for the immigration and nationality directorate's response time to letters from hon. Members; and what percentage of responses met the target response time in the latest period for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The published target is to answer 95 per cent. of Members' letters on immigration and nationality directoraterelated matters within 20 working days. Although we still have some way to go to achieve that standard, performance has none the less already improved significantly from 34 per cent. in 2004 to 76 per cent. for the period September 2005 to August 2006, the latest period for which figures are available.

Internet Service Providers

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to inform the public which internet service providers block access to sites containing child pornography.

Vernon Coaker: We have not made public which internet service providers (ISPs) block access to sites containing child abuse images. However, transparency and confidence are vital components of effective self-regulation. The majority of ISPs are prepared individually to say whether they are blocking or not. We are working with them to put in place arrangements to publish and maintain the full list of ISPs blocking these websites.

Internet Service Providers

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the costs to internet service providers of blocking access to child pornography sites; and what discussions he has had with colleagues at the Department of Trade and Industry on this matter.

Vernon Coaker: This is new technology and different internet service providers (ISPs) are developing different solutions that are effective on their specific infrastructures. We recognise there are genuine cost issues for ISPs, particularly smaller ones, not just in developing the solution, but in administering it and in subscribing to the Internet Watch Foundation list, but take the view that the costs are proportionate to the benefits.
	My predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Wythenshawe and Sale, East (Paul Goggins) along with the then Department of Trade and Industry Minister my right hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Alun Michael) held meetings with ISPs on 22 and 28 March 2006.

Miscarriages of Justice

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many  (a) re-appointments and  (b) competitions for the appointment of an independent assessor to assess ex-gratia payments from public funds under section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 of compensation for miscarriages of justice there have been since 1976;
	(2)  how the applicants for appointment as Independent Assessor of claims for compensation for miscarriages of justice were assessed; by whom they were assessed; how the competitions for appointment as Independent Assessor were advertised; how many applicants applied in respect of each competition; what procedure exists for unsuccessful applicants to raise concerns about the handling of the selection process; and what further competitions are proposed;
	(3)  who has held the appointment of Independent Assessor to assess ex gratia payments from public funds or under section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 of compensation for miscarriages of justice since 1976; for what period each person held that appointment; on what terms and conditions of engagement each Independent Assessor has been appointed; and what remuneration was payable to each in each year of their appointment;
	(4)  what changes in the remuneration of the Independent Assessor have recently been proposed; and what changes will be introduced in respect of his remuneration for assessments of compensation from 19 April 2006.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sir Michael Ogden QC was independent Assessor of compensation for miscarriages of justice from February 1978 to July 1989, succeeding Sir Walker Carter, who had discharged these duties since 1957. Sir Michael was formally appointed to the role in November 1985 and was appointed under section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 in November 1988. Sir David Calcutt QC succeeded Sir Michael Ogden on 27 July 1989, and was re-appointed in July 1994 and July 1999. Lord Brennan assumed the role on 27 July 2001. He remains in post, having been re-appointed by the Home Secretary on 27 July this year for a second five-year term. No further competition for the post is intended until Lord Brennan's appointment is due to come to an end.
	I have placed copies of Sir David Calcutt's and Lord Brennan's terms and conditions of appointment in the Library. It has not so far been possible to trace those relating to Sir Michael Ogden.
	The only appointment that was subject to formal competition arrangements was Lord Brennan's. This was run in accordance with the guidance issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, and in partnership with Capita RAS. It was advertised in The Lawyer, The Law Society Gazette, and Counsel magazine, and on the Top Jobs and Home Office internet sites. The 57 applications were assessed against the requirements of Schedule 12 to the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the job specification. An initial sift was undertaken by independent assessors appointed by Capita RAS, and the five shortlisted candidates were interviewed by a panel comprising Mr. David Cooke (the then Deputy Director of the Criminal Policy Group in the Home Office, who chaired the panel), Ms Petra Laidlaw (an independent member provided by Capita RAS), and Sir David Calcutt.
	The Assessor's fees are paid, per case, at Band C of the Cabinet Office's Fees for Judicial Appointment and Appointments to Tribunals, Inquiries and Appeal Boards. At the request of Sir David Calcutt, an additional, special daily fee rate was introduced on 1 August 1992 in respect of more complex cases. A table showing those rates follows. On 27 July 2006 a revised fee structure was implemented, under which Lord Brennan is paid 360 per case for interim assessments and advice cases, 500 per case for straightforward final assessments, and 1,000 per day for complex cases.
	
		
			  Assessor of compensation for miscarriages of justice special fee rates 
			   
			   Higher rate (per day) 
			  Financial year  Fee  Fee inclusive of VAT 
			 1 August 1992 to 31 March 1993 500 587.50 
			 1 April 1993 to 31 March 1994 515 605.12 
			 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995 542 636.85 
			 1 April 1995 to 31 March 1996 565 663.88 
			 1 April 1996 to 31 March 1997 587 689.73 
			 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998 605 710.88 
			 1 April 1998 to 30 November 1998 617 724.98 
			 1 December 1998 to 31 March 1999 626 735.55 
			 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 644 756.70 
			 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 663 779.03 
			 1 April 2001 to 27 July 2001 683 802.53 
			 27 July 2001 to 31 March 2002 683  
			 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 700  
			 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 716  
			 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 731  
			 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006 749  
			 1 April 2006 to 26 July 2006 756

Police Complaints

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place to monitor the effectiveness of the police response to telephone complaints from the public.

Tony McNulty: Contact management features in HMIC's Baseline Assessment, which complements the statutory performance indicators by providing a qualitative measurement of police performance. In its thematic inspection of police contact management, 'First Contact' published in November 2005, HMIC has developed a best practice framework and assessment matrix that forces can use to self-assess their performance and that HMIC use in the inspection process to grade forces and to identify strengths and areas for improvement.

Ports (Security)

Douglas Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions have been given to immigration officers at ports of entry who wish to verify the identity of a person wearing a veil or other garment which has the effect of concealing the face of the person wearing it.

Liam Byrne: In accordance with the Immigration Act 1971 all persons arriving in the United Kingdom must satisfy an immigration officer as to their nationality and identity.
	Where there are sensitive or cultural reasons why it is not possible for a person to remove a veil or other garment at the immigration control, they will be taken to a private area where, in the case of a woman, a female officer will ask them to lift their veil so that their identity can be verified.
	Most people are usually content to do this but there are powers to refuse entry to persons who cannot be satisfactorily identified.

Prisons

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners housed in category D facilities have been charged with assaulting  (a) fellow inmates and  (b) prison workers in the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information is not available in the specific format requested. HM Prison Service collects data on the number of assaults on prisoners and on staff and others, which result in a positive disciplinary adjudication. This information is shown below in Table A for prisons that were categorised as open, where the majority of category D prisoners are held, over the last five financial years. The figures exclude assaults that have resulted in completed or pending criminal prosecutions and these are shown recorded separately in Table B.
	
		
			  Table A - 94284: Number of positive assault adjudications from open prisons 
			   Number of adjudications for assaults on prisoners  Number of adjudications for assaults on staff and others 
			 2001-02 94 63 
			 2002-03 66 47 
			 2003-04 43 23 
			 2004-05 12 17 
			 2005-06 26 14 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B-94284: Completed and Pending( 1)  prosecutions arising from assaults in open prisons 
			   On prisoners  On staff  Total 
			 2001-02 6 2 8 
			 2002-03 3 1 4 
			 2003-04 2 1 3 
			 2004-05 9 5 14 
			 2005-06 7 5 12 
			 (1 )Data on Completed and Pending Prosecutions cannot be disaggregated.

Prisons

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the security arrangements at Ford prison; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: A new head of operations and security was appointed at Ford about six months ago and has made considerable progress in developing and improving security arrangements at the establishment. A full security audit will take place in February 2007.

Psychiatric Units

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the target figure is for provision of medium-secure psychiatric units per county in England and Wales.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	The need for medium secure psychiatric provision varies across England and Wales and there are no specific target numbers for units in each county. Government funding has been provided to support an increase in medium secure psychiatric beds in recent years as outlined in the NHS plan. The onus now rests with the commissioners of secure psychiatric services, who are expected to commission an appropriate number of medium secure psychiatric beds to meet the demand for such beds for the population that they cover.

Working Holidaymaker's Visa

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future of the Working Holidaymaker's Visa.

Liam Byrne: As announced in the Command Paper A Points-Based System: Making Migration Work for Britain published in March 2006, the Working Holidaymaker Scheme is one of a number of youth mobility provisions which is to be replaced by a new single generic youth mobility scheme, under tier five of the new points-based system.